Chicken Tikka Burgers

So maybe "tikka" is a misnomer. Ordinarily, the word refers to chunks of meat cooked on skewers, but I'm using it to evoke a flavor profile. Chicken tikka is like tandoori chicken, only boneless, marinated in yogurt and spices. While these chicken burgers don't contain any yogurt, they still taste wonderful, redolent of spices like cumin and garam masala.

Without the seasoning, chicken burgers are pretty boring. They are usually somewhat dry, too. I mix in a few spoonsful of hydrated chia seeds, which magically transform a dry burger into a juicy one. I'm not sure how it works, but it does. And as most of the ground chicken sold these days is breast meat (even though thighs are tastier), moisture is a necessity.

Serve these moist burgers on English muffins, to add a bit of crunchy textural interest, or substitute any bread you prefer. Cheese is optional, but do make the chutney mayo, as the sweet creaminess is a nice foil to the spices. You can also use the same spice combo with turkey or pork; beef might need a little more punch.

Chicken Tikka Burgers

2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 lb ground chicken
1 teaspoon curry powder (I used Penzey's Sweet Curry)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Salt
Plain dry bread crumbs
AP flour
Oil for frying
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Major Grey chutney
4 English muffins
Cilantro
Avocado, thinly sliced (optional, but we had it)

Put the chia seeds in a ramekin with a tablespoon of water. Allow to rest for 15 minutes in order for the chia to absorb all the water. Add the chia to the chicken along with the spices, jalapeno, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well. If the chicken seems too wet, add a couple tablespoons of the bread crumbs and combine well. Cover bowl and place in the fridge for at least one hour.

Place a cup or so of the flour on a plate and season it with salt. Make four patties with the chicken mixture and dredge each in the seasoned flour.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken patties. Cook, over medium heat, for 6-8 minutes per side, until well-browned and cooked through.

While the burgers are cooking, combine the mayo and chutney. Toast the muffins and spread with the chutney mayo. Place a burger on each muffin, top with cilantro and avocado. Eat.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Book Review - Superfood Sandwiches

Recently I received a review copy of a new cookbook by fellow food blogger, Katie Chudy,
Superfood Sandwiches: Crafting Nutritious Sandwiches with Superfoods for Every Meal and Occasion. The cover photo (caramelized endive and fennel sandwich with gorgonzola dolce found on page 87) attracted me with its colors and textures, and I was hoping to find more of the same inside.

I was not disappointed.

Chudy, who co-owns a personal chef/catering company, The Skinny Beet, with her husband and is also a professional food photographer, understands that a sandwich can be a versatile meal. It doesn't have to mean turkey on white with mayo. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) She also understands that a sandwich can (and should) be full of both flavor and nutrition. So each recipe in Superfood Sandwiches is packed with superfood ingredients (like kale, avocado, mushrooms, beans, chia seeds, honey, or eggs).

I love that she starts off with basic parts; bread recipes like Parmesan kale bread and condiments like smoky and spicy red pepper pesto or chipotle black bean spread. Then come the sandwiches, and every recipe is new and interesting. There are those that feature exotic flavors, like the Thai take on Elvis' favorite peanut butter and banana sandwich, and a sandwich with Moroccan kale and ratatouille. There are also more simple flavor profiles, like in the spring-like sandwich featuring edamame, peas, and lemon pepper ricotta cheese.

While many of the sandwiches are vegetarian (sweet potato felafel, edamame fried rice burger), there are plenty of meaty options as well, utilizing turkey, salmon, and pork tenderloin. The only problem with this book is deciding which sandwich to try first.

We've tried three recipes (so far); the mushroom, walnut, and brie sandwich was first. A simple combo of sauteed portobellos, lightly candied walnuts, and brie cheese, this sandwich was hearty and filling. The Asian sloppy Joes were next. They were good, but even better when doctored up a bit to have some of the sweetness of a traditional sloppy joe. We added organic ketchup and some brown sugar to the eggplant and cut back on the soy sauce. Terrific, and an easy lunch sandwich ingredient for the work week. The fish sauce, which some folks might consider optional, really makes the dish.

We also tried the tarragon salmon cakes with orange avocado walnut salsa (to which I added a handful of home-grown cherry tomatoes, because we had a ton). Pretty tasty, and even better without the bread. (I see recipes as guidelines, not laws. You should, too, if you are confident in the kitchen.)

It's a good book with good recipes. Go buy it.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!



Posted on Minxeats.com.

The Secret to Moist Burgers

Continuing on the quest to lower triglyceride levels, Mr Minx and I picked up some ground chicken at the supermarket as a substitute for ground beef. I was in the mood for burgers. Maybe not chicken burgers, but hey, how bad could they be?

I wasn't going to find out.

A few days later, I came home from work to find Mr Minx had ground up some chia seeds with a mortar and pestle and was soaking them in water. His intention was to mix them with the ground chicken to add moisture to the burgers. And I, Miss Know-It-All, thought he was going about it the wrong way, that he should have merely added the dry seeds to the chicken. But I let him do his thing, first draining out the few drops of water that didn't get completely absorbed by the now-swollen particles of chia. As he combined the chicken and chia, he decided that the mixture was a bit too soft, so I sprinkled in about a tablespoon of dry bread crumbs.

The result? The moistest burgers I've ever eaten, seriously! with a hint of garlic/onion flavor. We ate them on whole grain bread with a bit of mayonnaise and some sautéed onions, and they were just terrific. So much so that I had to try them again the next week, this time using the dreaded ground turkey.

They turned out just as well.

I fancied them up a bit by doing a riff on Buffalo wings, adding hot sauce to the onions and some bleu cheese sauce on top. Oh, and served them on Thomas' 12 Grain English Muffins.

Moist Poultry Burgers, Buffalo-style

2 teaspoons chia seeds
1/4 cup water
2 lbs ground chicken or turkey
dashes of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika
plain dry bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Grind the chia seeds to a powder with a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Soak the powder in the water for at least an hour. When ready to use, sieve the excess water from the seeds. Do not push on the seeds in the sieve - you only want to remove the excess, which may well be only a teaspoonful or so - it's important to keep the jelly-like consistency.

Mix the chia seeds with the ground chicken or turkey, making sure there are no obvious blobs of seeds. Season with smoked paprika and garlic and onion powders. If the mixture seems too moist, add some dry bread crumbs, a teaspoonful at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Form 6 patties with the meat. Heat a saute pan and add 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through. Serve with spicy onions and bleu cheese dressing.

Spicy Onions

1/2 cup sliced onion
olive oil
salt
3 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot sauce

Saute onion in a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt until soft and beginning to brown. Stir in hot sauce.
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You want proof of moistness? Check out the juicy droplets on my plate.

I dare say this technique would also work to add much-needed moisture to extra lean beef burgers, particularly for those folks (like my Dad) who insist on eating their meat well-done. And meatballs!

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Ch-ch-ch-chia!

Remember the Chia Pet? While the fad of growing "hair" on clay vessels shaped like animals or human heads was amusing, chia seeds are much more beneficial to humans than one might think. For one thing, they are good for dieters because they absorb many times their own weight in water, forming a bulky gel that gives one a full feeling after eating. And, perhaps more importantly, they contain a high level of Omega 3 fatty acids, even more than that other touted source: salmon.

Studies show that consuming lots of Omega 3s = lower triglyceride levels, so we've incorporated them into our diet. I bought mine at Nuts Online.

So what does one do with Chia seeds? You can sprinkle them over cereal or salads, and stir them into muffin or cupcake batters. I used them as a topping for rye bread, along with caraway seeds. If you stir them into a liquid and allow them to sit for a while, they will form a gelatinous capsule around themselves, thickening the liquid. In this form, they can be used to thicken salad dressings or sauces. With a little milk and flavoring (and a couple of hours) they can make a tasty no-cook pudding.

Chocochia Pudding
4 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
1 cup milk (Vegans can use almond, soy, or rice milk)

Mix chia, cocoa, vanilla, and honey together into a paste. Slowly stir in almond milk and continue to stir until everything is well incorporated. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to make a thin pudding. Place in refrigerator for a few hours if you want a thicker pudding. The longer it sits, the thicker it will get, so you may need to add more almond milk to thin it.

Makes a scant 2 cups.
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The pudding was quite chocolaty, but since we used almond milk, wasn't as creamy as the chocolate puddings of our youth. I made a parfait with a bit of Fage Greek yogurt, which added some creamy texture, but hell, if you're not watching your cholesterol, whipped cream would be much better!

Keep in mind that chia seeds are, well, seeds. They will not dissolve in liquid, and even though they form a gel, they'll still be crunchy. But they are teeny tiny, so the effect is rather like eating strawberries. Apparently the crunch is lessened if one crushes the seeds, but again, they are tiny, so I'm thinking it's a job for a mortar and pestle and some elbow grease. As for the taste, I've read that they are "nutty." To me they taste kinda "green," but really have little or no flavor. But hey - lots of Omega 3s and no fish burps! That's got to be worth something!

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.