If you were on death row, and offered one last supper, what would your final meal be? Hands down, I’d choose a burger. A burger is such a simple meal and if you pay attention to detail, you can make it truly extraordinary.

Lets face it though, a crappy burger is still pretty damn good right? But when really done well, it becomes a euphoric experience. There are a handful of factors that go into making the ultimate burger that are often overlooked.

1.:Meat: Ideally you select a a cut or a few different types of cuts and grind it yourself. That way, it ensures that your meat doesn’t consist of ground, nasty parts that have been washed with ammonia. This also allows you to “customize” your patty by adding brisket or chuck for flavor, or more tenderloin for texture.

2: Seasoning: If you use a high quality meat, you don’t want to mask the flavors of the actual animal (notice I said animal because I don’t understand veggie burgers. If you want vegetables, why mashed them all up into a patty?). Try to limit your seasoning to a high quality kosher or sea salt, some freshly cracked black pepper, and maybe one other secret ingredient in moderation. I admit, I used to try to jam the kitchen sink into my ground meat thinking that I’d stumble upon some life-changing recipe but no… simple is better.

3: Handling: This is probably the biggest secret that I recently learned. Don’t overwork your meat! Keep your hands out of the bowl, because the more you massage the mixture before forming it into patties the tougher the burger will be. You want a juicy, tender patty that falls apart in your mouth, not a firm meatball or meatloaf that requires a steak knife.

4: Cooking Execution: I’ve learned that cooking a burger is harder than you think. After years and years of grilling my burgers, I now actually prefer a cast iron grill pan. The open flame and extreme, uncontrolled heat tends to cause my beautifully shaped patty to shrivel up into a sphere making it impossible to eat without unhinging your jaw. Not to mention, all those delicious juices fall straight through the grates, enjoyed only by the neighborhood raccoon. On a griddle or flat service, the flavor that is extracted from the burger is used to help cook the patty and a nice, even crust can form under your control. Never overcook your burger! If you’re afraid to eat a burger that isn’t medium-rare, you’re not using a high quality meat. Not only will it taste better, but it will stay juicier and more tender. Let your burger rest for at least 5 minutes before chowing down. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the burger as opposed to running wild across your cutting board.

5: Condiments: This is fair game. Anything goes really when it comes to buns, cheese, sauce, toppings, etc. My theory is “simple is better” because I feel as though the meat should be the star, and everything else should enhance, or compliment the meat without overpowering it. That being said, these variables are endless and I have seen some pretty insane ideas. From foie gras and Epoisses cheese to a fried dough bun, burgers can get pretty extreme. 5: Subjectivity: All that being said, just like all food and wine related topics, everything is subjective. You may prefer frozen patties due to convenience, you may love your burgers cooked to death until they resemble hockey pucks, you may dowse your ground tenderloin in ketchup, and god forbid, you may love veggie burgers. Eat what you like to eat.

I grabbed some high quality lamb loin chops, and some of the leg meat and had my butcher grind it in front of me. I gently worked some confit garlic cloves, and freshly grated lemon zest into the meat before forming two loosely packed, patties. The garlic cloves cooked ever so slowly in fat to the point that they barely held their shape. The sweet, mushy cloves added a huge punch of flavor to the burger and the lemon zest contributed freshness. I liberally seasoned the patties with salt and freshly cracked black pepper before searing them on a scalding hot, cast iron grill plate. Cast iron retains heat extremely well and distributes it evenly throughout the cooking surface; perfect for searing more than one patty at a time.

Once a mouth-watering crust was formed, I flipped it over once only and let it finish on the top of the stove. Right before the burger reached a “rare” temperature, I threw it into the oven broiler dressed with thin slices of Fontina cheese. Fontina is a great melting cheese and has loads of flavor so it got the job done quickly.

I threw the perfect patty on top of my black pepper speckled, brioche bun and let it rest. To compliment the lamb, I made a quick mint yogurt to drizzle on top. Just a bunch of fresh mint leaves and a few spoonfuls of creamy Greek yogurt followed by a buzz in the blender, and my sauce was ready. Refreshingly flavorful and healthy to boot. A small handful of thinly shaved, raw shallots and the burger was complete. The anticipation of slicing it in half is an experience in itself. Once the juicy pink flesh is revealed it’s hard to wait long enough to even take a legitimate picture. I devoured the lamb burger in just a few mammoth bites, and washed it down with a French Burgundy.

The 2008 Bouchard Pere & Fils Reserve Bourgogne is made from 100% Pinot Noir in one of my favorite, and arguably the most acclaimed wine growing regions of the world. French Pinot, in most cases, is very different than domestic Pinot Noir. The French winemakers’ goal is to express the true “terroir” of the region (expression of the land, soil, climate, fruit in its natural state), whereas in the United States, most winemakers try to extract and pump as much big bold fruit into the wine as possible.

I thought that this Burgundy was absolutely fabulous with the lamb burger, which was slightly gamey and unique. The wine had aromas of burnt cherries, wet leaves, and new leather. Upon the first sip, the wine displays typical Pinot Noir fruit, followed by a pleasant earthy finish. It is clearly lighter, and more elegant than most domestic Pinots and the way the silky wine felt in my mouth was remarkable.

This wine is so soft and easy-drinking, yet ridiculously complex at the same time. I could barely put pressure on the brioche, preparing for each bite because the juice was running down my forearm. The tender meat, literally melted in my mouth while the slightly funky Fontina enhanced the flavor. This was one of the better, homemade burgers that I have ever made. It was certainly delicious but it definitely made me hungry for more, so this whole last supper thing can’t happen anytime soon.

Rooftop Gourmet: Second Course

It’s about time! After a six month hiatus, I am officially back for a “second course” of intense food blogging. I have notepads, scrap paper, and areas of my brain overflowing with new ideas, original recipes, and mouthwatering wines to throw your way. You’re probably exhausted from checking the site and staring at the same piece of Halibut over and over again; I know I sure am. I promise you that I will continue to keep it fresh and exciting on a weekly basis. This is actually the last meal that I never posted back in June, just a few weeks before my wedding. Try not to get depressed by the beaming sunlight, bountiful herb gardens, and refreshing Rose’… spring is right around the corner.

While wondering around the market six months ago, head clouded with wedding preparation and anxiety, I attempted to put together a simple, healthy, yet flavorful dish. I believe that the first ingredient I grabbed that day was a bag of Key limes. Probably because I was shocked to see them, and also because we had just booked our honeymoon to Key West, Florida.

I was intrigued, having never cooked with Key limes before, and slightly curious about their flavor compared to their big brother, citrus staple. The only real difference is the stronger flavor, higher acidity and thinner skins (as well as their obvious “honey I shrunk the citrus” appearance).

I got to thinking, that in the culinary world, size really doesn’t matter. In terms of chili peppers, the smaller the spicier, in terms of winemaking, the smaller, compact clusters of grapes produce much more intense fruit when extracted, and in terms of citrus (including Meyer Lemons), the babies are intensified. As I walked by the seafood section, these long, zebra-looking whole fish seemed to be staring me down. As I peered closer, I realized that they were fresh Mackerel, a fish that I love but rarely cook at home.

You’ve probably heard one of your cheesy, old relatives use the term “Holy Mackerel” (usually the same guy that says “Jeepers Creepers”) and wondered what the heck they were talking about. The term is an ancient euphemism for Holy Mary, with Mackerel referring to Catholics because they ate fish on Fridays. One of the best parts about Mackerel is the fact that they don’t have scales. It makes home-cooking much less labor intensive.

I understand that most people make that retched “gag-reflex” facial expression when confronted with the word anchovy or sardine, but they are one of my all-time favorite foods, especially fresh sardines! Not to mention how great they are for you. Mackerel has a very similar oily, meaty texture and when simply grilled to the point where the skin gets crispy and crackles, is sheer perfection.

When on the hunt for a simple, healthy, meal that’s loaded with flavor, I usually turn to hot chilies because I am a sucker for heat. It’s sick really, the way that I crave that tongue swelling, profuse sweating, and temple-throbbing reaction. When I got home, I did very little to prepare the fish that were going to get tossed on a hot grill. All I had to do was remove the dorsal fins and they were ready to roll. I halved a bunch of fire engine red, Fresno chilies along with some homegrown Serranos, picked from my roof deck garden. I flash-sautéed them in a healthy dose of extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced garlic and some Key Limes.

As the wafer-thin garlic toasted into crispy chips, their intense and pungent flavor infused the oil along with the blazing hot seeds of the chilies. As the heat from the pan extracted the juice from the limes, it created a deliciously spicy Key Lime & hot chili vinaigrette with just a quick shake of the skillet. The acid, oil and flavors seemed to infuse and hold beautifully, ready to drizzle over my grilled fish.

The grill was smoking hot and I gently laid the morning catch on the grates and waited for the skin to start sizzling. The Mackerel isn’t a very large or dense fish so it only takes a few minutes of cooking on each side. I plated the Mackerel with some grilled Key Limes, and tossed the contents of the sauté pan over it, carefully drizzling the vinaigrette around the flesh. A few sprigs of fresh cilantro and I was ready to dig in. Another positive of eating whole fish, is that it keeps your patience in check. If you’re like me, sometimes you can’t help but devour the food in front of you. When you’re carefully picking succulent meat out of tiny little bones it forces you to consume at a slower pace, which is healthier and doesn’t make you look like a hog; a Neanderthal or a European maybe, but definitely not a hog.

The juicy flesh literally melted in your mouth and the crispy skin and garlic chips gave great contrast in texture followed by a pleasant burn. Another important ingredient in whole-fish dining is a fun and interesting wine. I guarantee at some point, there will be very little meat left, and lots of downtime intertwined with a tiny amount of frustration trying to find more, so an interesting wine is great to keep your mind off of it. It was a steamy summer day, so I chose a refreshing Rose’ of Syrah from Washington State.

Ironically enough, we served this exact Rose’ at our wedding cocktail hour because we both fell in love with it (and it apparently matched our wedding colors). It’s made by Charles Smith, one of the biggest names in Washington State winemaking and just an absolute rockstar of a guy. I got the chance to meet him at a Wine Spectator event and that was an experience in itself. Despite his eccentric personality, the guy can make some serious wine. This Rose’ comes from 100% Syrah and has a significant amount of weight and body compared to the classic French Rose’s of Provence and Languedoc. Rose’s are made from red grapes, but by using white winemaking methods. The skins are removed at a certain point either before or after the pressing to determine the shade of pink, or sometimes orange hues in the glass.

The wine has a huge nose of strawberry shortcake ice cream bars and rose petals and on the palate, the wine is loaded with fresh strawberries and white pepper. Despite what most preconceived notions about pink wine refer to, this Rose’ (as is most) is refreshingly dry. The upfront, fruit-forward style helped balance the heat from the dish and the flavors didn’t overpower the oily fish the least bit. A few weeks later, the wine performed again, pairing beautifully with adrenaline, wedding cake, and insane chaos on the dance floor. Sadly enough, that day went by so fast, as did the summer weather but I look forward to creating some hearty, winter fare in the weeks to follow. Thank you to everyone who religiously read my blog in the past and again, I apologize for the break in action. Get ready for the Second Course!

Wow. I finally found some time in between the hustle and bustle of the last few months to pull out the camera. I’ve been itching to post another meal for quite some time, but my schedule just hasn’t permitted it.

The other night, I was craving two of my favorite things… pork and clams. Tasty on their own, but euphoric when eaten together.

I had a few links of chorizo on hand and I picked up a dozen cockles from the new Legal Harborside Market. Chorizo is a cured, Spanish pork sausage that gets its brick red color and its intense smokiness from dried, smoked red paprika.

Cockles are tiny, saltwater clams that are sweet and briny. I tossed the chorizo into a food processor and made “chorizo-bits”, and then gently sauteed them to make them nice and crispy.

As I tried to restrain myself from nibbling on all of the “bits”, I made a silky, white bean puree. I simply simmered some white beans in vegetable stock and fresh thyme before breaking out the boat motor blender. I let it simmer on the back burner with a splash of cream to to add richness and to thicken it just a bit.

Finally, I got to my main protein… the halibut. I seared the fish in a skillet, skin-side down and let it get nice and crispy.

As soon as it was almost halfway done, I finished it in the oven and poured a glass of 2007 Vincent Girardin Rully “les Cloux”, a Premier Cru White Burgundy. The wine is 100% Chardonnay and is a beautiful golden color in the glass. It exudes intense aromas of cold butter and hazlenuts followed by flavors of green apple, custard, and a signature lemon finish.

The wine is medium bodied and chalk full of acidity which makes it perfect for this rich dish.

When I pulled the fish from the oven, I transferred it to a warm plate and started a quick pan sauce. I added some white wine, butter, parsley and the cockles and let everything reduce while the clams steamed open. Towards the end, I tossed in a few morel mushrooms and a spritz of lemon.

Morels are like the Lamborghini of the fungal world. They have a unique flavor and look like something out of a Super Mario Brothers game.

Their sponginess soaks up all of the sauce and flavors that you cook it in. I drizzled the morels around the pan roasted halibut with the steamed cockles and topped the fish off with a dusting of the chorizo crumble. Each bite of the moist, flaky halibut gently slid off into the creamy bean puree and sopped it all up.

A crunchy bite of salty chorizo adds extreme texture and flavor and is cut by the lemony sauce and fresh parsley. Just as I had anticipated, the succulent clams were drop-dead delicious when combined with the smoky pork sausage and the morels were a bonus treat.

Oysters rank pretty high up on my list of favorite things to eat. They’re fresh, simple, complex, exhilarating, refreshing, and fun. Maybe not the first half-dozen adjectives others would use to describe the slimy bivalves, but to each their own. You either love them or you hate them (unless you’ve never tried one…. then your opinion doesn’t count). Like wine, or anything else grown on this planet, the product can and usually does taste completely different depending on where they’re harvested and the process in which they are farmed. An oyster that was raised in the cool Pacific waters of Kumamoto Bay in Kyshu, Japan tastes nothing like an oyster from Cape Cod.

On an even smaller scale, an oyster from Wellfleet, MA differs profoundly from one raised a mere 50 miles away in Duxbury Bay. These creatures are products of their own terroir. Similarly, when Grenache grapes are grown in the southern Rhone Valley, France, the wine produced tastes nothing like Grenache grown in the Barossa Valley, Australia. If I was raised in Vietnam, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. It’s just a fact of life. Winemaking and I guess oyster farming is a perfect combination of nature and nurture.

I recently got my hands on a few dozen Island Creek Oysters, which just so happen to be one of my favorite varieties.

There’s nothing better than lugging a big net of oysters up to the roofdeck on a sunny afternoon with nothing more than a bottle of wine and an oyster knife.

Typically, I enjoy my oysters naked, or with a splash of mignonette (in its simplest  form: vinegar, shallots, peppercorns) in order to savor the oyster itself and to enjoy everything it has to offer, rather than masking the natural essence with a massive dollop of cocktail sauce.

Today though was different. I wanted to add a little extra flair to my calcareous creatures to celebrate one of Springs most exciting libations…. Rose’. Don’t let the color fool you! Rose’ is not a cheap, sugary wine like White Zin or the Blush that you played “Slap the Bag” with back in college.

Most Rose’ is classified as a dry wine made from classic, red grape varietals. It gets its shade of pink by allowing longer skin contact with the juice during the fermentation period. The folks at 90+ Cellars have hit another home run on their recent purchase of the Lot 33 Rose’, from the Lanquedoc, France…. just in time for the warm weather! I kicked the season off on the right foot by shucking the Island Creek Oysters and balancing out the intense briny and buttery flavors with a small dollop of creme fraiche’ and some juicy watermelon.

The creme fraiche’ was a perfect balance with the salty “liquor” inside of the shell and the fruity watermelon was as refreshing as they oyster itself. Just a tiny sprinkle of finely sliced chives and the one bite wonder was complete. I tossed a few dozen down the hatch, firing the empty shells into the garbage just as fast as I could shuck the next batch. The subtle flavors in the topping paired tremendously with the 90+ Cellars Rose’. Its color is a dark shade of pink, reminiscent of freshly squeezed blood orange juice- and yes… it is as refreshing as it looks!

This medium-bodied, dry rose’ is aromatically flirtatious with tons of fresh strawberries, juicy candy, and toasted peppercorns. Each sip is voluptuous and sexy with flavors of melted watermelon sorbet and toasted nuts on the finish. It can be as fun or as serious as you want it to be but be careful… mixing the Island Creek aphrodisiacs with the Lot 33 Rose’ can be a dangerous pairing.

“Real Men Drink Pink”

I apologize for the long hiatus in between posts. I have been so busy getting ready for my wedding and I feel like we have something going on every night of the week. Most of our dinners now are healthy, simple, and quick…most of the time too quick to even pull out the camera.

I made this “Fat Elvis” sandwich the week after I got back from my bachelor party in Vegas. Let me tell you…this baby can cure a three-day Sin City hangover!

It all started with a fresh loaf of sourdough and some freshly ground peanut butter. I recently started using the “grind yourself” machine at Whole Foods, which transforms a handful of peanuts, hazelnuts, or almonds into the richest butter ever.

I spread a layer of peanut butter on one side of the bread so thick, it would shut up a barking dog for weeks. The next layer was a sliced banana, perfectly ripe and mushy followed by a few girthy, slabs of crispy bacon.

To top everything off, I spread some some raw honey from Honey Gardens, in Vermont on the other side of the bread. I toasted the sandwich in a buttered skillet the way you would for a grilled cheese and watched as the innards warmed, and oozed out of the sides.

If it wasn’t for the tall pint of beer to wash each bite down, this would have been a one-hour sandwich. Every bite was rich and indulgent. The classic peanut butter and banana combo was flirting with the smoky, savory bacon and the honey added just the slightest touch of sweetness.

The Dogfish Head “Namaste” is a Belgian style ale brewed with coriander, orange peel, and lemongrass. It’s quite cloudy and unfiltered but packed with flavor. The added spices and flavors were simply background notes that contributed complexity rather than masking the true flavor of the beer itself.

It was a refreshing pint to help wash down the “Fat Elvis” and great closure to an unbelievable weekend.