tamarind turkey burgers and miso broccoli slaw

i like my beef burgers pretty plain with good cheddar or blue cheese but turkey burgers need help and i've got all sorts of ways to do it. this is a new great one. tamarind is a seed and pod. its used a lot in asian and hispanic cooking. these burgers are sour, sweet and tangy.

Tamarind Turkey Burgers

Glaze

• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate* (found in middle eastern markets)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup water
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Burgers

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp tamarind glaze
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 red jalapeño chile with seeds, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 1/2 pounds ground natural turkey

• Large lettuce leaves for wrapping
• Garlic/ginger mayonnaise for garnish

For glaze:
Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add tamarind concentrate, honey, and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thick enough to coat spoon and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Cool completely (volume will reduce as glaze cools); mix in lime juice.

For burgers:
Stir mayonnaise, ginger, garlic, soy, fish sauce, salt, jalapeño, black pepper, and 2 tbsp glaze in large bowl to blend; mix in green onions. Add ground turkey; blend gently (do not pack tightly). Shape mixture into patties, I make mine 8 oz. pepper and salt both sides. Make ahead and chill so they stay together better.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill burgers on first side then flip and glaze until cooked through and thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F, about 8 minutes per side. Brush other side with more glaze. Place 1 burger, on a lettuce leave with garlic/ginger mayo, onions and tomatoes. Top each with onion, tomato, lettuce, and roll top. Serve, passing remaining glaze separately.

Miso slaw

Miso dressing:

1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons yellow or red miso
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp sugar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp soy
1/4 cup olive oil

¼ cup mayonnaise

Mix everything in a blender.

Salad ingredients

1 package trader joes broccoli slaw

½ bunch chopped green onions

4 cups chopped spinach

½ cup finely chopped roasted almonds

Mix dressing and salad ingredients in a large bowl. Garnish with almonds and chill.

2 tabboulehs for britney

i am not cooking this today but britneys request for this reminded me that i hadn't made it in a while. tabbouleh really is one of my fave summer salads. i especially love it mixed with hummus and wrapped in a curry tortilla or naan. i fell in love with it when i worked at real food daily in college. there they wrapped it up in a square shape then cut it on the bias and called it "love triangles" - i never forgot that dish and usually make my own version of it off the whole foods salad bar. when i make tabbouleh though its usually as some part of a summer bbq with tandoori chicken, grilled veggies and some sort of hummus.
i like traditional tabbouleh which is much heavier on the herbs than on the bulghur but because the americanized version tends towards a higher proportion of bulghur, i decided to publish two recipes. both are great.

#1 traditional tabbouleh

makes about 1 quart

1/2	cup bulgur , fine or medium grain, rinsed under running water and drained
1/3	cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1/3	cup olive oil
	Table salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
2	cups minced fresh parsley leaves
2	medium tomatoes , halved, seeded, and cut into very small dice
4	medium scallions , green and white parts, minced
2	tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves (or 1 rounded teaspoon dried mint)

1. Mix bulgur wheat with 1/4 cup of the lemon juice in medium bowl; set aside until grains are tender and fluffy, 20 to 40 minutes,depending on age and type of bulgur.

2. Mix remaining lemon juice, olive oil, salt to taste and red pepper, if desired. Mix bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, scallions, and mint; add dressing and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate to let flavors blend, 1 to 2 hours. Serve.

#2 tabbouleh (more american style)

2 cups bulgur (cracked wheat)

1 large bunch parsley
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves
4 green onions
3/4 pound tomatoes, seeded, chopped
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Place bulgur in large bowl. Pour enough warm water over to cover generously. Let stand until bulgur softens, about 15 minutes. Drain well, pressing out excess water. Return bulgur to same large bowl.

Meanwhile, finely chop parsley, mint and green onions in processor. Add bulgur. Mix in tomatoes, then lemon juice, oil and cumin. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

fabulous! healthy caesar dressing

i fully induldge in dessert with no holds barred. last night i had one of those cupcakes and then had another half for a late night, grey's anatomy on dvr snack. thank god i love to exercize and love healthy food. i am lucky that i love veggies. in the winter i eat lots of veggie soups and in the summer lots of salads. if i didn't know how to make great homemade dressing i'd be miserable. i hate bottles dressings, they all taste like chemicals to me (with the exception of a few $8/bottle whole foods brands)
one of my faves is a super creamy caesar starring no other than soft tofu! trick someone you love into eating it, they will never guess its got tofu in it.


creamy caesar dressing:
2-3 ounces good quality cubed Parmesan
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
11/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
11/2 teaspoon anchovy paste OR Worcestershire sauce (anchovy is way better but worcest. is a good sub when you are out)
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 cup silken soft tofu
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Starting on the lowest speed, chop the cheese cubes in the blender jar until it settles into the bottom of the jar, gradually increasing the speed. Add the garlic down the chute and chop until minced.
Next, add the mustard, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and tofu to the blender and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, drizzle olive oil down the middle of the vortex that has formed. Add more or less of the olive oil and blend until it reaches salad dressing consistency. enjoy.