Lemon Caper Salmon Burgers with Herb Aioli

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

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What to do with extra salmon? That was my quandary this weekend after doing my go-to salmon recipe (soak in balsamic vinegar/soy sauce for 30 min, pat dry and add salt/pepper/brown sugar before saute – awesome and simple) for dinner yesterday and having extra. And we had wonderful mashed potatoes with it, but of course forgot to take a photo.

So on to tonight, I was thinking that salmon burgers would be something different, and after tooling around various recipe sites, I figured I could wing it.

Well, my experiment was not mind-blowing, but still was a big improvement on most that I have had in restaurants. I decided to do a fine chop instead of using the food processor (or canned salmon, um no.) I mixed the salmon with lemon zest, a little white onion (fine dice), diced capers, mayo, S/P and mashed potatoes for the binder.

As many of you know, I feel like the bread is a big deal for a good burger or sandwich. I had the hub pick up fresh bakery hamburger rolls, which were toasted and buttered. (Of course.) Served with romaine, and Stonewall Kitchen lemon herb aioli from Fresh Market, this was a solid effort. I think I need to add a little more binder next time (or use a thinner spatula) as two out of the three patties were difficult to turn without a little disassembly, but still very yummy.

The patties themselves were very flavorful, I loved all of the crispy edges on the little chunks of salmon. I also really liked the texture of the mashed potatoes as the binder. I’m thinking adding a tablespoon of panko next time and maybe an egg white will help with the structure, but I would hate to modify the texture too much. So B+ effort, but will report back when I make these again. Also, the 9-year-old inhaled hers, so I’m thinking it wasn’t too bad. 😉

Do you have a go-to salmon recipe? I would love to hear about it…

Mmmm…Cuban!

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Lunch, Review

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I have to admit that I was not a fan of the original Carlos’ Cuban Cafe here in Tallahassee – I was more of a Gordo’s girl, and grew to love Black Bean Cafe.

However, Carlos’ shut down and has reemerged as a small bistro, the Cuban Grill,  over on Capital Circle NE, to the far north end by Esposito’s. They have also added a cute outdoor seating area that will be nice when the weather is cooperative.

The menu is relatively small, but filled with great Cuban classics. I decided to get the Cuban, as it is one of my favorite iconic sandwiches.

I hate to say it, but their Cuban may be the best I have had in Tallahassee. The biggest difference was that the bread seemed lighter than most, and more delicate (in a good way). And it still had that great crunch necessary to a great Cuban sandwich. The meats were flavorful, and the cheese was perfectly melty and gooey. (One of my pet peeves is unmelted cheese on a pressed sandwich. Yuck!)

NOTE: Get the Half (6″), not the Full (12″) sandwiches (unless you want leftovers…)

My husband got the Pan con Pollo sandwich, featuring grilled mojo chicken breastErmahgerd...MERHER CHERKEN!, onions and mojo sauce. The chicken was cooked well but still juicy, and the onions gave a nice bite. In addition, the sides of beans and rice was rich and yummy, especially when topped with the obligatory doses of hot sauce.

Although we had sandwiches this time, I look forward to coming back and trying some of the dinner entrees. I am really glad to discover this Cuban phoenix, and hope to come back to this side of town for lunch (or dinner) soon.

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Food Porn Friday!

24 Friday Aug 2012

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Inspired by an old post of Mike’s (Sweet Tea and Bourbon) on Italian subs…I thought I would share a photo of the best Italian sandwich I have EVER had.

It’s called The Gambino and it is made by Cochon Butcher. The description says it is made with “house meats and herb viniagrette.” Those words do not do justice to their house made sopresatta, coppa and other cured meats that are beyond delectable. The bread is perfect and the viniagrette is fresh and tart. They also provide homemade potato chips. A cute bar is included in this small storefront, with an amazing (from scratch!) Bloody Mary – always good to have in N.O.

I generally take a cooler and do a little shopping there as well. Last time I came home with a jambalaya-stuffed chicken, boudin, tasso and andouille, as well as bread & butter pickles and Sweet Potato Hot Sauce. I would live within walking distance of Cochon Butcher if I lived in New Orleans. Amazing.

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Bagelheads: Surprisingly Good Lunch Spot

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Lunch, Review

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I knew going in that Bagelheads had great bagels and muffins, so I was hoping that their lunch would live up to my expectations. Thank goodness it did!

Bagelheads is a small deli/bakery housed in a former fast food restaurant on Apalachee Parkway – very convenient for downtown and east Tallahassee.

The DudeThe interior is clean and bright, with more seating than I was expecting. I met a friend for lunch who got a sandwich called The Dude that had ham and melted swiss cheese, lettuce, onions, yellow mustard, and mayo on a Super Asiago Bagel Disk.

The bagel disk bread looked amazing with the cheese baked into the top, and my friend said that it was toasted perfectly. Boar’s Head meats are always a welcome feature as well.

I ordered The Big Apple containing lettuce, granny smith apple chunks, walnuts, dried onions (like you put on the top of green bean casserole!), sliced chicken breast, and bleu cheese crumbles. I got the Raspberry Vinaigrette, which complemented the sweet and savory elements perfectly. As you have probably guessed, I love starch and meat, but a nice salad with layers of flavors is a great lunch option when I don’t want anything too heavy. And this salad was perfect, especially with the surprising fried onions adding crunch and a savory component.

Bagelheads also has the option to order online or by telephone and is very active on social media. I can’t wait to go back and try some of their other sandwiches and salads, I’m thinking that the Strawberry Sensation (fresh strawberries, feta cheese, chicken, walnuts, and vinaigrette) will be my next order. Yum!
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Pasta Alla Carbonara

13 Monday Aug 2012

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I was lucky to spend my last semester at Florida State University abroad in Florence, Italy. It was an amazing (hot!) summer where I first discovered wine I liked and was seriously overwhelmed by good food. When I got home to Tallahassee, I learned how to cook all of my favorite dishes from Italy, and my passion for good food and cooking took off from there – learning to cook all of my favorite things from my childhood and beyond.

The two of the first dishes that made an impression were Risotto Milanese (ridic!) and Pasta alla Carbonara. Carbonara looks complicated, but comes together very quickly and is a luxurious sauce that is seriously addictive. Pancetta seems like an exotic ingredient but it is simply uncured Italian bacon. It is definitely worth seeking out at the grocery deli counter or Italian specialty store.

Via Wikipedia: As the name is derived from carbonaro (the Italian word for charcoal burner), some believe the dish was first made as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers.

Pasta alla Carbonara

This recipe came from Cooking with Love, Italian Style by Francis Anthony

12 ounces spaghettini, spaghetti or linguine
5 ounces pancetta (available at the deli counter at Publix)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 jumbo eggs (I used large and it was fine), coddled (I put them in with the boiling pasta for a couple of minutes and removed to cool – this step is only if raw eggs make you nervous)
4 ounces Romano or Parmigiano cheese
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or 2 to 4 as a main course

Begin cooking the pasta (per the instructions on the box) in salted water. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the pancetta in the olive oil until crisp (you can omit the olive oil and let it crisp in its rendered fat). Remove the crispy pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the skillet and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, and pepper and mix well. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta. Quickly toss the pasta with the butter, then add the egg mixture and toss.

Transfer the pasta to the skillet with the reserved pancetta fat and quickly saute it until the egg mixture has adhered, adding the pasta water. Sprinkle the reserved pancetta over the finished pasta and serve immediately.

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Dinner For One

10 Friday Aug 2012

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That pat of butter does magic to finish a pan-seared steak. Tossing the broccoli in the pan drippings was genius.

With the kids and hubby out of town, I got to actually choose the elements of my dinner with no need to consider, negotiate, or do anything other than just get what I wanted.

I generally enjoy cooking for others more, but this was a nice change.

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Rainy Day Cure

06 Monday Aug 2012

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Lemon Chicken Soup from the Soup Swift

I kinda wish that I had known that Tallahassee was going to be experiencing a “tropical wave” this morning. But instead, all I knew was that I had a busy day and it was going to be WET.

So what do I want for lunch – soup!

Fortunately, we have a lovely little soup place in Tallahassee called the Soup Swift. It is a cozy cafe tucked away on Miccosukee Road. It seems far away, but it is less than ten minutes from Downtown Tally. Although their menu is limited, it usually covers most appetites and cravings. (You can also get a soup sampler and try up to three of the soups!)

I ordered a bowl of Lemon Soup and the full Napa Chicken Salad (I should have gotten their half salad/soup combo, but I was hungry…) The soup is hard to explain – somehow both light and brothy while also creamy and rich. Lemony without being to aggressive and just the right amount of tender chicken. (Note: that this soup also showed me that I CAN like peas, but mainly just in this particular soup.)

Napa Chicken Salad and Lemon Chicken SoupThe chicken salad was a nice-sized serving with lots of chicken, artichokes and romaine, sprinkled with beautiful cherry tomatoes.

I have also had their brussel sprouts and bacon salad before, and it was amazing.

I love that we are starting to get all of these lovely locally-owned restaurants and cafes that are producing such thoughful food. Their menu and changes daily, but they usually post on Facebook. They also carry fresh baked goods that look mouthwatering.
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