Article/Recipe: Asian-influenced Turkey (or Chicken) Burger

Thought this was an interesting article (from the associated press). turns out (and this didn't really surprise me) that just because you have a ground turkey burger doesn't mean it is "healthier" or lower in fat vs. the beef burger counterpart.

interesting reading and a recipe too boot that i think is worth trying (like that miso is an ingredient, one of my new favorite condiments). i think i might try it with some ground chicken i have in the frig rather than turkey. i also might give "steaming" the burgers a try, rather than grill them on in a skillet or on the bbq.

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THE HEALTHY PLATE: Not all turkey burgers are lean

By JIM ROMANOFF
For The Associated Press

If you think just because you use ground turkey to make a burger it's automatically healthier, you could be in for a big surprise.

Ground turkey has a reputation for being lean, but there are many varieties available, some with as much as 17 grams of fat in a 4-ounce portion. At that point, you might as well use ground chuck, which is more flavorful and has only 14 grams of fat.

At the other extreme, you'll want to avoid 99 percent lean ground turkey. It produces dry, flavorless patties.

A good compromise is 93 percent lean ground turkey, which has about 8 grams of fat per serving. But even with that amount of fat, a turkey burger can be somewhat lacking in flavor and moisture, so you'll want to make some additions to the meat.

Treating this kind of turkey burger as a tiny meatloaf is a good strategy. Mixing in ingredients such as ketchup, Dijon mustard, chopped onions and fresh herbs will all add moisture and flavor.

Mixing in fresh breadcrumbs helps to cut the fat by padding the meat. They also soak up and retain moisture so it won't cook out of the burger while on the grill.

Some recipes even call for adding 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage or ricotta cheese per pound of lean ground turkey to moisten things up.

This recipe adds flavor with sweet white miso, a nutty, savory Asian paste that's made from fermented rice or barley. Look for it near the tofu in natural food stores and most larger markets.

Fresh ginger and scallions add even more flavor and moisture, and crispy panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs help to lock it all in.

To complete the meal, serve these Asian-style turkey burgers with a side of coleslaw made with rice vinegar and sesame oil dressing.

MISO-GINGER TURKEY BURGER

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons sweet white miso

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped scallions

1/3 cup panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Vegetable oil

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

Salt, to taste

Heat a gas grill to medium-high or prepare a charcoal fire.

In a large bowl, whisk together the miso, soy sauce and ginger. Add the ground turkey, scallions, breadcrumbs and black pepper. Gently but thoroughly mix together. Shape into 4 patties, each about 3/4 inch thick.

To oil the grill grates, dampen a folded paper towel with vegetable oil, hold it with tongs and rub it over the grates.

Grill the burgers until well browned on the underside, about 4 to 5 minutes. With a metal spatula, turn the burgers over carefully. Grill for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until the burgers reach 165 F at the thickest part.

Meanwhile, toast the buns at the edge of the grill. Season the burgers with salt. Dress the burgers with condiments and vegetables as desired.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 323 calories; 90 calories from fat; 10 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 4 g fiber; 1,017 mg sodium.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Epicurious: Around the World in 80 Dishes

really enjoy this "series" from epicurious.com. you should check it out and try a few new dishes from around the world... Find link here.

Recipe: Greek-Inspired Feta Tomato Pasta

feta was on sale at the market this week so i got a nice-sized chunk. found this recipe online (old reliable "Cooking Light Magazine"). i think i might swap basil for the parsley 'cause basil is so very in season right now... we'll see how it goes...
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Greek Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Feta

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups diced tomato
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cups hot cooked thin spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese, divided
• Freshly ground pepper
• Lemon slices (optional)
• Green onions (optional)

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, green onions, 2 tablespoons parsley, and lemon juice; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Combine tomato mixture, spaghetti, and 3/4 cup cheese; toss gently. Top with remaining cheese and parsley, and serve with pepper. Garnish with lemon slices and green onions, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 331 (27% from fat)

Fat: 9.8g (sat 4.7g,mono 3.2g,poly 1g)

Protein: 12.3g

Carbohydrate: 49.5g

Fiber: 4.5g

Cholesterol: 25mg

Iron: 3.4mg

Sodium: 334mg

Calcium: 179mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 1995

11 COLE SLAW RECIPES

I noticed that cabbage is on sale this week, so i thought to try to make some cole slaw sometime soon. i found a list of various takes on slaw at the seasonalchef.com website. Gonna give this a look and pick one.

Also open to any suggestions for recipes not listed here.

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11 VARIATIONS ON SLAW AND CABBAGE SALADS

The word “cole slaw” comes from the Dutch koolsla, which means cabbage salad. The name for the salad doesn't give a clue about what, besides cabbage, goes into cole slaw. That's appropriate becomes no matter what you might hear about how slaw must have vinegar or slaw must have mayonnaise, in fact it can have just about anything else in it, as long as shredded cabbage is the chief ingredient.

Besides the cabbage, most cole slaws come with a dressing based on mayonnaise or vinegar or both, though neither of those ingredients is mandatory. Other recipes in this sampling call for yogurt and/or citrus juice in lieu of mayonnaise and/or vinegar.

Beyond the shredded cabbage and choice of dressing, a multitude of variations on cole slaw distinguish themselves with an array of other ingredients such as almonds, apples, grated carrots, pimento peppers, and even toasted ramen noodles.

Most of these recipes are from the cooperative extension services in states including Alaska, Connecticut and North Carolina. The “all-American” recipe is from, of all places, Food Down Under, a vast database of recipes in Australia. The creamy and sweet and tangy slaws are from Diana Rattray’s Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine, a site with lots of other Southern slaw recipes. The most unusual of these recipes, the one that calls for toasted ramen noodles, is from The Country Kitchen, a monthly collection of recipes distributed by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

All-American Cole Slaw

Alaska Cooperative Extension Slaw

Creamy Cole Slaw

Sweet and Tangy Party Slaw

Confetti Slaw

Apple Coleslaw

Cabbage Salad

German Cole Slaw

Mexican Cole Slaw

Napa Cabbage Carrot Slaw (w/ toasted sesame seeds)

Oriental Slaw

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All-American Cole Slaw

1 ½ lb green cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded
3 tablespoon cider or malt vinegar
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 small onion grated (optional)
2 medium carrot grated
¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

In a large mixing bowl, toss the cabbage with the vinegar and salt. Grate the carrots and optional onion directly into the bowl. Add the mayonnaise and toss well.

The slaw can be served immediately, but it is much better, more melded and tender, if allowed to stand and tossed occasionally for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

For a very limp slaw, refrigerate several hours or overnight.

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Alaska Cooperative Extension Slaw

1 quart cabbage, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp salt
3 tbsp vinegar
1⁄2 cup green pepper, chopped
1⁄4 cup cream
1⁄4 cup diced sweet pickle
2 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix cabbage with green pepper and pickles. Combine sugar, salt, vinegar, cream and mustard; pour over cabbage, blend well, serve at once.

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Creamy Cole Slaw

3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1 dash black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large head cabbage, finely shredded

Blend mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and oil. Add onion powder, dry mustard, celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, half-and-half and salt. Stir until smooth.

Pour coleslaw dressing over shredded cabbage in a large bowl and toss until cabbage is well coated. Keep coleslaw refrigerated.

Source: Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine

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Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw

1 cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
Dressing:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup vinegar
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine shredded cabbage with sliced onion. Combine dressing ingredients and bring to boil. Pour over cabbage and toss. Cool, then refrigerate. A wonderful topping for barbeque sandwiches.

Source: Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine

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Confetti Slaw

¼ small head green cabbage cut in thin strips (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, peeled and grated ( about 1 cup)
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup peanuts
½ cup yogurt, vanilla
1 Tablespoon orange juice

Combine cabbage, carrots, raisins and peanuts in mixing bowl. In small bowl, stir together yogurt and orange juice. Before serving, add yogurt mixture to cabbage and combine thoroughly.

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Apple Coleslaw

2 cups cabbage
1 medium grated carrot
1/2 chopped green pepper
1 chopped apple
5 tablespoons yogurt, lowfat
1 tablespoon mayonnaise, lowfat
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dill weed

Wash the cabbage. Cut it into fine shreds, until you have 2 cups of cabbage.

Peel the carrot. Grate it with a grater. Chop half a green pepper into small pieces. Remove the core, and chop the apple. Put the cabbage, carrot, green pepper, and apple in a large mixing bowl. Stir together.

Put the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and dill weed in a small bowl. Stir together to make a dressing.

Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Cabbage Salad

4 cups shredded or thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 cup grated or finely sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dill or basil or parsley
1/2 cup mayonnaise, light or low-fat
1/2 cup yogurt, plain nonfat
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Wash and prepare vegetables for chopping. Use a cheese grater or slice all vegetables thinly with a sharp knife. Put in a large bowl. Add herbs to taste.

Mix mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, and sugar in a small bowl. Blend well. Add to vegetables.

Mix well. Keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.

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German Cole Slaw

1 head of cabbage, shredded or chopped briefly in food processor
2 medium onions, cut in rings
1 green pepper; chopped
1 jar pimento peppers; chopped and drained
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
¾ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoons celery seeds (up to 2)

Combine cabbage, green pepper, onion and pimento in large bowl. Mix sugar and celery seed into this mixture.

Combine vinegar, oil and salt in pan and bring to a boil. Pour immediately over cabbage. Refrigerate, stirring several times.

Make at least 8 hours before serving.

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Mexican Cole Slaw

½ cup shredded red cabbage
½ cup shredded green cabbage
1 medium carrot, pared, grated
¼ cup low fat yogurt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 pinch fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Serve at once or refrigerate and serve cold.

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Napa Cabbage Carrot Slaw (w/ toasted sesame seeds)

3 carrots, shredded
1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup toasted sesame seed

In a large bowl, combine the carrot, cabbage, onion, and cilantro.

Combine the remaining ingredients, except the sesame seed, until blended and toss with the cabbage mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seed.

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Oriental Slaw

1 pound cabbage, finely shredded
2 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, any flavor
1 (2-ounce) package slivered almonds
1/4 cup butter
1 cup vinegar
1 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped

Remove seasoning packets from noodles and set packets aside. Crumble noodles in package. In a skillet over medium heat, cook noodles and almonds in butter until lightly browned; set aside.

For dressing, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, soy sauce and seasoning packets from noodles in a jar; put lid on and shake well to blend. Refrigerate dressing.

Immediately before serving, toss together noodle mixture, dressing, onion and cole slaw.

Sampling of Prepared Food Purveyors at LA's Farmer's Markets

Nice little primer from the LA Times on some prepared food offerings at LA's local farmers markets... one listed in the article is a purveyor of BBQ that i've been eyeing for sometime, but haven't had the pleasure yet of tying, Big Mistah's BBQ.

I have tried the chicken offerings of Gourmet Grill Masters (a fan but not for the cost-conscious), and the Gourmet Korean BBQ,(ok food but definitely over-priced for what you get... not so much a fan overall... i know korean "street food" is becoming all the range in So. Cal. but i have yet to buy into the kool-aid drinking frenzy...).

Looking forward to trying more of the operations listed below...
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FARMERS MARKET

A look at what's cookin' at L.A. area farmers markets

Produce isn't the only star of the show. Some of the city's best 'cue, pizza and even crepes can be found at the humblest of stands.

By Russ Parsons and Betty Hallock
May 20, 2009

What's your favorite food at the farmers market? Apples or oranges? Strawberries or zucchini? How about ribs? In fact, it's quite possible that two of the best barbecue restaurants in Southern California can be found only at farmers markets.

And some of the best pizza comes from a wood-burning oven hitched to a trailer that visits the Manhattan Beach farmers market every week.

A FAVORITE: The papusas served at the farmers
market in Torrance.

While most of the action at the markets quite appropriately centers around the farmers and their fruits and vegetables, there's some great hot food to be had as well, if you know where to look. In fact, at some markets -- the ones in Torrance on Saturday and Hollywood on Sunday leap to mind -- the hot food may be almost as much of a draw.

You know you're in for a treat when you're at the Dray's Bar-B-Que stand in Westchester, gnawing a thick, moist pork rib, and smoke-master Andre Weathersby's wife, Diana, offers you a slice of the best sweet potato pie you can imagine, saying, "I'm gonna give you a taste because I know you're gonna want some."

And it's a good sign when you see pizzaiolo Bradford Kent wearing a Caputo Tipo 00 Pizza Flour T-shirt, stoking the fire for his wood-burning oven with California olive wood.

Barbecue and pizza are just the start of the prepared foods that are available at local farmers markets. To get an overview, we visited more than a dozen markets, sampling as widely as we could whatever looked good.

We found a lot: ribs and brisket, tamales and tri-tip, roasted chicken, pupusas, empanadas, crepes, even aebleskivers (those melt-in-your-mouth Danish pastries that look like spherical pancakes).

Prepared foods sold at farmers markets must be made in local health department-certified kitchens. Furthermore, the individual booths must have a hand-washing area as well as access to running water.

Still, their presence is not without controversy. Some purists object to markets offering anything but farm-grown produce. But Mary Lou Weiss, founding manager of the Torrance farmers markets, where food has been sold since the early 1990s, says it has become an integral part of the market experience.

"It's helped our market become a community event every Saturday," Weiss says. "People can have their breakfast and shop, or they can shop and then have lunch. We used to think people would come to a farmers market and be in and out in under an hour. Now we think they spend more time because there's more for them to do. They can see their friends and talk and listen to good music while they're enjoying good food. And then they can go shop."

Indeed, the food court end of the Torrance market resembles nothing so much as a festival in full swing. Booths selling hot food surround a tent where diners sit at crowded tables and listen to live music. Farmers market food doesn't mean just Kettle Korn anymore.

Acadie Crepes: There's nothing instant about this. Order a crepe and watch the batter being poured, spread and cooked before being filled. You can get them basic (butter and cinnamon sugar) or elaborate (banana, toasted almonds, sour cream and honey).

Crepes from $3.50 to $8. Torrance, Saturday; and Santa Monica (Ocean Park), Sunday.

Aebleskivers: Puffy little dough balls hot from the pan, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with strawberry jam. What could be better?

Three for $2.75. Torrance, Saturday; and Hollywood, Sunday.

Ara's Kitchen: One of the standouts among the big, thick pupusas at Ara's Kitchen are the ones stuffed with cheese and loroco, an edible Central American flower. (You'll see a photo of a pile of the green buds taped to the booth.) And don't forget the aguas frescas. Recently on offer: watermelon, pineapple-mango-green-apple and horchata -- a version made with seeds from the Calabash gourd.

Pupusas, $4. Aguas frescas, $2.50 to $5. Downtown L.A. (Little Tokyo), Thursday; Eagle Rock, Friday; Encino, Sunday.

Bigmista's Barbecue: Bigmista-mania is all over the Internet and there's a good reason why -- Neil Strawder really knows how to smoke meat. His pork ribs are lean and dense with just the perfect balance of smoke and sweet. And about that brisket? Take your choice: The lean side is mostly about the smoke, the fatty side is rich and beefy, almost like Kobe barbecue.

Sandwiches, $4 to $7; meat a la carte, $5 to $12; sides, $1 to $6. Atwater Village, Sunday; Torrance, Tuesday; El Segundo, Thursday; and Watts, Saturday.

Corn Maiden Tamales: Pascal Dropsy started his company by selling gourmet tamales only at farmers markets and was so successful that they're now sold in supermarkets. But you can still find them at a dozen markets every week.

Tamales, $3.50 (also available by the dozen, $30 to $34). Culver City, Tuesday; downtown L.A. (Figueroa), downtown L.A. (Little Tokyo), Westwood and South Pasadena, Thursday; Torrance, Calabasas and La Cañada, Saturday; and Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica and Studio City, Sunday.

Curiel's Mediterranean Cuisine: "People always ask me, 'If you're Mexican, why cook Greek food?' " says Maria Curiel, proprietor of Curiel's Mediterranean Cuisine. "I tell them, 'All the cooks at all the restaurants in L.A. are Latino." Fair enough. Curiel, who has worked in Mediterranean kitchens in New York and L.A., and her crew turn out juicy, smoky kebabs -- such as skewers threaded with chunks of rib-eye, lamb kefta or beef lula, the ground beef marinated in paprika, garlic, dried mint and "other secret ingredients."

Kebabs, $3 to $5. Kebab combination plates, $7 to $12. Montrose and Brentwood, Sunday; Long Beachand Sherman Oaks, Tuesday; Northridge, Wednesday; downtown L.A. (Little Tokyo), Thursday; Exposition Park, Saturday.

Delmy's Pupusas: Delmy Sandoval makes the most delicious pupusas -- thick and chewy and stuffed with things like cheese, pork, zucchini and mushrooms, and topped with curtido (pickled cabbage) and a bright, fiery salsa.

Pupusas, $2 each. Wilmington, Thursday; Torrance, Saturday; Hollywood and Atwater Village, Sunday.

Dray's Bar-B-Q: This is the real deal. New Orleans native Andre Weathersby, a retired meat cutter, smokes his meats at the market in a portable pit over mostly mesquite wood. The tri-tip is tender and moist (get it in a sandwich topped with grilled onions and sweet peppers), and the pork ribs are tender but with that perfect snap that lets you know they weren't precooked. Also try his pork butt, which he slices into steaks before smoking. Wife Diana's desserts are terrific as well.

Barbecue plates, $5 to $12. Westchester, Wednesday; Leimert Park, Saturday; and Mar Vista, Sunday.

Farmers Market Pizza: Incredibly, Bradford Kent is making pizzas every week at the Manhattan Beach farmers market from his mobile wood-fired oven. They're 10-inch pies with a crisp-chewy crust that Kent spent five years perfecting. A recent special: a Thai basil-shrimp pizza topped with a pesto of Thai basil, fresh mint, cilantro, fish sauce and Thai bird chiles; fresh spinach; shrimp seasoned with penang curry and aromatic peanut oil; a little Monterey Jack cheese; wok-charred cashews; and a drizzle of Thai curry sauce he makes with reduced coconut milk, his penang curry and kaffir lime leaf. For purists, his pizza Margherita is delicious with a juicy fresh tomato sauce, Gioia mozzarella and fresh basil.

Pizzas, $8. Manhattan Beach, Tuesday.

Flava Lady: For your fix of Caribbean, Flava Lady's selection of what caterer-owner Marlene Myrie calls Caribbean-Creole cuisine includes Jamaican patties and jerk chicken. The golden-yellow turmeric-tinged pastry for the patties is pliable but flaky; fillings of beef, chicken, vegetable or shrimp and crab are full-on flavorful. (The chicken is special because she adds a little curry.) Her jerk chicken is marinated in a heady mixture of homemade chicken stock, garlic, green onions, thyme, allspice, fresh ginger, brown sugar, mango chutney and more. It's grilled right there at the Hollywood Farmers' Market, served with sides such as green beans, plantains and spinach quiche.

Patties, $3; jerk chicken, $6 with one side. Hollywood, Sunday.

Gourmet Grill Masters: This rotisserie chicken truck is all about the skin. It's so crisp it almost seems like it must have been deep-fried. The meat is moist too and redolent of herbs and aromatics such as rosemary, oregano, garlic and ginger that the birds have been marinated in.

Half a chicken with roasted potatoes, $6. West Hollywood, Monday; Torrance, Manhattan Beach and Sherman Oaks, Tuesday; Westchester and Sierra Madre, Wednesday; Redondo Beach, Westwood and South Pasadena, Thursday; Long Beach and Echo Park, Friday; Calabassas and Laguna Beach, Saturday; Hollywood and Larchmont, Sunday.

Gourmet Korean B.B.Q.: Owner David Kim is busy at several area farmers markets throughout the week offering a variety of homemade Korean fermented and marinated vegetables and sauces, but Sundays are when he offers his hot Korean pancakes, or pajeon. These big (8- to 10-inch) griddle cakes are made to order, crisp on the outside, soft and tender within. They're filled with vegetables such as green onions, carrots, leeks, onions, bean sprouts, zucchini or celery. A seafood pancake includes shrimp, crab, scallops and vegetables. They're offered a la carte with a side of kimchi and "Dave's Gourmet Magic" dipping sauce.

Pancakes, $5, or $9 for a pancake meal (with kimchi, dipping sauce, rice, mung bean noodles and pot stickers). West Hollywood, Monday; Culver City and Manhattan Beach, Tuesday; Westchester, Wednesday; South Pasadena, Thursday; Venice, Friday; Burbank and Silver Lake, Saturday; Hollywood, Sunday.

Grand Casino Bakery: Among the offerings from Argentinian bakery Grand Casino (such as palmeritas, canyoncitos, alfajores and other South American pastries) are its baked empanadas. They're golden brown, almost glossy half-moons of savory pastry filled with spinach and artichoke, chicken and mushrooms, or spicy beef, the edges folded into a neat braid. Sometimes there's a caprese version with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. The beef empanadas are hard to resist: chubby pillows filled with nicely spicy ground beef, they have a bit of a kick.

Empanadas, $2. Culver City, Tuesday.

Hawaiian Chicken: There are few sights as enticing as three guys working two grills the size of refrigerators, every square inch of them filled with marinated chicken on its way to being charred just right. Long lines such as at the Century City farmers market on Thursdays -- hungry office workers know what they like -- aren't uncommon. Hawaiian-born owner Eugene Hong marinates his shoyu chicken for two days; it's then grilled at the farmers markets and served with his Asian-fusion hot sauce, his mom's recipe. The huli-huli chicken -- dry rubbed with a Hawaiian seasoning salt -- is grilled on a specially built rotisserie over mesquite charcoal and is available only at select markets.

Shoyu and huli-huli chicken, $7 to $12. Montrose, Sunday; Long Beach and Culver City, Tuesday; downtown Pershing Square, Wednesday; downtown L.A. (Little Tokyo) and Century City, Thursday; downtown Bank of America, Wilshire Center and Eagle Rock, Friday; Exposition Park, Saturday. (Huli-huli chicken is available only at Montrose, Eagle Rock and Exposition Park.)

food@latimes.com

Atlanta Burger Institution Ann's Snack Bar for Sale? Closing?

Ran across this mention of the impending sale of an Atlanta burger institution (home of the so-called "Ghetto Burger") in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. If you have seen this woman on YouTube from 2008 here and from 2007 here, you will discover that she is quite a character and serves up quite a nice-sized burger.

I'm sad that I never got a chance to visit this place that was hailed by the Wall St. Journal as the "best burger in America" a few years back, but I do wish her well on her retirement.

Anyone been to this place? Would love to hear your thoughts. The "real deal" or a lot of hype?
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For sale (soon): Ann’s Snack Bar, home of the “Ghetto Burger”

4:50 pm May 18, 2009, by jgumbrecht

Ann Price serves up a "Ghetto Burger" to customers at her Kirkwood Restaurant, Ann's Snack Bar.

Ann’s Snack Bar, the Kirkwood home of the “World Famous Ghetto Burger,” might not be around much longer — at least not with Ann herself.

Ann Price, known to her customers and the world at large as “Miss Ann,” told Buzz on Monday that she’s ready to sell after 37 years of hand-shaping patties for hungry customers.

“You got a buyer?” she shot into the phone.

Miss Ann won’t be locking the doors just yet. She plans to talk with a real estate agent in a couple weeks, and doesn’t yet know the price, but wants it on the market at the end of the month. It’s not clear if the restaurant will remain open once it’s out of Miss Ann’s hands.

“I don’t care what they do with it,” Miss Ann said of the building at 1615 Memorial Drive. “Once they pay me for it, they can do whatever the want with it.”

The "World Famous Ghetto Burger" at Ann's Snack Bar in Kirkwood.

That news will be hard to swallow for regulars who got comfortable on the bar stools at Ann’s. It was already a local institution when its “World Famous Ghetto Burger,” was named the best burger in America in a Wall Street Journal story two years ago. The crowds have been flowing even steadier since then.

So why now? “I’m tired. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

What next? “Sleep. I’m planning to sleep when I leave here.”

Miss Ann did say she’ll stay in Atlanta, but didn’t elaborate: “I can’t talk now. I’ve got customers.”

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And this from a local Atlanta TV Station site:

"Ghetto Burger" Home For Sale?

ATLANTA -- The home of the self-proclaimed "World Famous Ghetto Burger" might be up for sale. Ann Price, owner of Ann's Snack Bar, told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution she is selling the Kirkwood restaurant. In Tuesday's Peach Buzz column the AJC reported that Price wants to have Ann's Snack Bar on the market by the end of the month. READ: AJC Article Here Two years ago, Raymond Sokolov, the food reporter for the Wall Street Journal, crowned the “Ghetto Burger” at Ann’s Snack Bar on Memorial Drive as the best burger in the country.

DIRECTIONS: Finding Atlanta's Best Burger

He described Ann Price's masterpiece as a “two-patty cheeseburger tricked out with bacon that she tends closely in a fryolator.” The Ghetto Burger also features chilli along with the standard lettuce, tomato, and onion. After sampling a “Ghetto Burger” dusted with Miss Ann’s “seasoning salt” Sokolov called it “the next level in burgerhood.” If you want to dive into one head for the Snack Bar at 1615 Memorial Drive. Citing the burgers at The Vortex in Little Five Points and the EARL in East Atlanta Sokolov called Atlanta the home to the best burgers in America. If you plan a trip to Ann's, there's a few things you need to know. First, there's only eight stools in the restaurant. That means only eight people get waited on at a time. From there, people line up outside waiting for a stool to empty before heading inside and placing their order. Price describes business as "Off the hook" since the Wall Street Journal reported on her burger. Translation: get there early and prepare to wait. Many people spend a couple hours in line just waiting to get inside. Price has had to start cutting the line off around 4 p.m. the last week just to accommodate everyone. She's open Monday to Saturday.

Check Out Best Burger In United States

VIDEO: Atlanta's Ghetto Burger Named Best In U.S.
SLIDESHOW: Feast Your Eyes On Best Burger In The Country, The Ghetto Burger

The 63-year old Price has been frying up food at her restaurant for nearly 35 years. If you want to sample a Ghetto Burger, consider yourself warned, Price plans on retiring at the end of next year. Speaking of warnings, should you decide to check out the slideshow or video, chances are you'll be hungry for a Ghetto Burger when you're finished looking.

Copyright 2009 by WSBTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

English Muffin Experiment: Homemade vs. Store-Bought

Now this looks like fun, no? another great posting from seriouseats.com. the challenge: what tastes better and is the best price value? homemade or store bought english muffins?

i must admit i'm not a bit sour dough guy, but maybe another thing on the list to try...

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The English Muffin Experiment: Homemade vs. Store-Bought

Posted by The Serious Eats Team, May 12, 2009 at 2:40 PM

This dispatch comes to us from serious eater Melinda McCamant, who lives in Portland, Oregon. She pointed out to us that English muffins are neither English nor muffins. An avid home baker with a taste for brioche and a budget for Wonder Bread, she's always interested in combining flour, yeast, and water into tasty new forms. Take it away, Melinda! —Erin

I confess—right around the time I reached thirty-something I developed a fondness for baking. I get an absurd pride from neglecting the store-bought in favor of the homemade. But every time I make something from scratch, I feel obligated to never buy it premade again.

This has considerably crimped the amount of breakfast sandwiches I can consume. On a recent Sunday morning when I got out of bed a full hour before my boyfriend to make English muffins, I began to wonder if it was worth it. Are my English muffins really worth the flour handprints on the back of my pajamas? Was I even saving money?

As I turned on the griddle to start my first batch I decided to perform an experiment: buy English muffins and compare them to my own. So, in fairness, I took some homemade English muffins from that Sunday batch and put them in the freezer until I thought they were at least as old as four kinds from the supermarket shelf: the generic kind at Fred Meyer (a subsidiary of The Kroger Co.), Wolferman's, Trader Joe's, and the classic Thomas'.

My homemade sourdough English muffins are pretty simple. The only special equipment needed are English muffin rings, which can also be used to fry up the toppings for breakfast sandwiches, keeping them perfectly round and almost corporate in appearance.

I got my recipe from The Fresh Loaf, an online community for amateur bakers of all skill levels. Not only are they tasty but it’s a great way to use up the extra sourdough starter that inevitably accumulates when you keep up a starter (but don’t feel like going through the trouble of sourdough bread baking). When they are fresh, homemade English muffins are unbeatable if for no other reason than that “I made these” is molecularly bound to the steam that escapes upon breaking them open.

Samuel Bath Thomas, an English émigré, created the first English muffins in 1880 in his Manhattan bakery. Originally called a "toaster crumpet," Thomas's creation bore only a slight family resemblance to its British cousin.

Both are cooked on griddles but the crumpet, only crisped on one side, lacks the crunch (fanatics insist that toasting is a must) and chew of what eventually came to be called an English muffin. Wolferman's, a gourmet brand of English muffin available by mail order, are thicker and have been around since 1910. Unlike the rest of the bread world, English muffins have not experienced a gourmet renaissance—there are two choices: what you make at home and what you can buy in a plastic bag.

Price Comparison

The English muffins I bought ranged from Fred Meyer's generic brand (ridiculously cheap at 59¢ for six) to Wolferman's ($4.95 for four Brobdingnagian muffins) to the Trader Joe's store brand ($1.99 for six) and of course Thomas' ($3.00 for six).

Ingredients

All four had a similar mix of recognizable ingredients like flour, water, and yeast alongside things like calcium sulfate, which is considered harmless but has been used to kill rodents. The Trader Joe’s and Wolferman’s muffins, which were noticeably fluffier than the rest, use bleached flour while the others use unbleached. Only the Fred Meyer brand contained high fructose corn syrup. In fact, the Thomas' label proudly proclaims they no longer use HFCS—an ingredient with a questionable role in obesity that still strikes me (and Michael Pollan) as environmentally unsound.

Shape and Texture

Compared to the store-bought brands, my homemade muffins looked Lilliputian and decidedly unround. When I split all five open the Thomas’ muffins easily won for nooks and crannies (two words inexorably tied to a good English muffin, largely due to Thomas’ advertising) followed closely by the Fred Meyer brand. My homemade version and the Trader Joe’s brand had nooks but no crannies. The Wolferman's were in a category of their own, double the size of the rest, with small sandwich bread-like crumbs.

Toastability

The muffins were toasted and topped on with butter on one side and egg on the other. Oddly, my little guys toasted much faster than the others, perhaps due to size but the 13 additional ingredients in the store-bought kinds might also have played a role.

Sourness

Compared to the competition, which list an impressive array of souring agents, my sourdough muffins were decidedly un-sour. Both the Wolferman's and the Thomas' had the tang of sourdough without it being overwhelming. The Fred Meyer brand also had a nice balance but that was unfortunately overwhelmed by a distinctive sock-like aftertaste. The TJ’s muffins were the sourest, almost vinegary, but I noticed that the egg softened the vinegar taste and were my favorite with yolk. The homemade muffins, even after a week in the freezer, tasted fresher than the store-bought and had a clean finish that none of the others possessed.

Best Bang for the Buck?

What about the cost? The Wolferman's were the heftiest both in size and out of pocket expense, extravagant like a gift you give others but can’t buy for yourself. And at the other end of the sock flavor spectrum, even at 59¢, seemed a so-so bargain. The TJ’s and Thomas’ were good and definitely the superior products combined with egg (and, as I later found out, bacon) but cost considerably more than the homemade muffins which were smaller but the clear cost winner with only 50¢ worth of ingredients. Of course my time is worth money but if I hadn’t made the muffins I would have just slept in.

The Winner

I wanted my English Muffins to win and in the end, based on overall taste, cost, and quality of ingredients, they did. What I didn’t count on was the guilty thrill of having something perfectly round and so emotionally unencumbered waiting for me in the freezer.

Breakfast muffins in three minutes, mini pizzas in five—for one sweet week I ate like it was 1994, reveling in the prefab foods of my misspent youth. Next week I’ll be back to slow and local, AKA cheap and homemade, but it’s nice to know the convenience is out there—a time machine in a plastic bag.

Recipe: Chicken Savory Pie (a la Rodney Henry)

Was watching Paula Dean's "Best Dishes" show this morning on Food Network and was most impressed with a guest chef and musician, Rodney Henry, owner of Baltimore pie shop (and coffee house), Dangerously Delicious Pies. Loved this guy's energy and his take on a most interesting dish: Chicken Savory Pie.

I really like this guy's vibe and i think he would be great with his own show. Hip, down-to-earth, funny, and... most importantly... he can cook his ever lovin' ass off. i'm a DC native and get up to Balto a sometimes when i'm back home visiting family, and after seeing his segment, i'll be sure to seek out this joint the next time i'm in Baltimore and give this guy some love.

You can find his bio here.
And a nice YouTube piece on Rodney that includes clips from his appearance with Paula Dean here.

But seriously, i wouldn't be surprised if this guy ends up with his own show one day. if the guy from Charm City Cakes and that pseudo, and that somewhat "clownish" over-the-top hipster Guy Fieri can get a show, why not this guy? he trumps them both on style and "authentic" (not put on or phony) personality by miles... just my 2 cents.

Other hints that this guy might be getting groomed for a pilot and that maybe this appearance on Paula's Show may have been a "screen test" of sorts comes from the fact that i noticed from Henry's restaurant website that he also appeared on The Neelys Road Tested show for the Food Network in 2008. Both the Neelys and Paula Dean were "discovered" and are executive produced by Gordon Elliot. Could it be an accident that this really charismatic, talented guy has appeared on 2 programs that Elliot produces on the Food Network? I doubt it.

Well... if anyone is listening (er, reading..) at the Food Network or at Gordon Elliot's production company... GET ON THIS GUY... he's got star quality, he's fun to watch and it looks like he as a unique culinary take that would attract a loyal following...

Below find the recipe of the Savory Chicken Pie that he made with Paula... sorry, couldn't find a picture, but you'll have to take my word for it. looked righteous... gonna have to try it one day.
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Savory Chicken Pie

Recipe courtesy Rodney Henry

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 2 hr 35 min

Serving: 1 (9-inch) pie

Ingredients:

3 whole carrots, peeled and chopped

2 Vidalia onions, quartered

1 (5-pound) whole chicken

1/4 cup salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 stick butter, softened

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh sage

Filling:

1 cup sliced carrots

4 red potatoes, sliced thin

3/4 cup corn

1/2 cup peas

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

2 tbs salt

1 tbs sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening

2 cups cold water

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

For the Chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stuff onions and carrots into the cavity of the chicken. Rub salt, black pepper and butter into skin of chicken. Place rosemary sprigs under the skin and place into a roasting pan. Place sage on top of chicken and roast for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool.

For the filling:

Place carrots and potatoes on sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Place into the preheated oven and roast until caramelized.

When chicken has cooled, discard the onions, carrots, sage and rosemary. Pull the chicken meat off the bones and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place into a large bowl with chicken juice from roasting pan along with potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, heavy cream and flour. Mix together well. Set aside for crust. *Cook's Note: Filling will be thick.

For the crust:

Knead all ingredients together in a large bowl, slowly adding the water. Divide into 2 pieces and roll out on a lightly floured work surface. One will be the bottom crust, the other the top. Place 1 piece of dough into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish. Add filling and top with the other piece of dough. Crimp the edges together with a spoon or a fork. Brush the top crust with melted butter and bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.

from one of my favorite blogs "a hamburger today" and from one of their best reviewers/correspondents, Damon Gambuto.... i gotta try this place... now if one of the cheeses they offered was havarti, then we'd really be cookin' with gas...
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A Premium Burger at 25 Degrees in Hollywood, California

Posted by Damon Gambuto, May 13, 2009 at 3:45 PM

"It’s a full, rich mouthful that hits me with a rush of pleasure akin to hearing the curtain whisk close behind me as I walk into a plane’s first class cabin."

25 Degrees

7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90028 (map); 25degreesrestaurant.com; 323-785-7244
Cooking Method: Grilled
Short Order: A slick, Hollywood Boulevard "build-your-own" burger spot serves up some very tasty options
Want Fries with That? These fast food style spuds are foiled by a sprinkle of thyme, but the onion rings are truly special
Prices: Sirloin Cheeseburger, $10.50
Notes: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week

So I had the in-laws in town over the weekend. This is much less the lip-pursed, teeth grinding exercise of holding my tongue than it is a four day extravaganza of eating, drinking, and playing. They’re a decidedly generous pair who somehow endure the facsimile of an adult man that is this boy. The fact that they endure me as a partner for their superstar of a daughter is an even greater measure of their generosity. I suspect it’s the burgers.

You see, Mom is a burger lover and one of my regular interlocutors. Dad is a Texas-bred doctor who brings his studied demeanor to most things, but certainly not least of which is his grilling. Of course, a big burger lunch was on the agenda for the weekend’s festivities (as were some fine steaks from Lobel’s that arrived via FedEx—thanks Dr. C!). As you might imagine, while sitting down for our burger we discussed burgers.

I found out that my girlfriend’s father went to medical school with a chap who insisted on burgers. Only burgers. Lunch and dinner. Every day. We laughed as we imagined a life of just burgers. Dad’s button on the story was that this burger man was “hands down the smartest guy in the class.” Now, I suspect this was presented as a counterpoint to his obsessive burger consumption, but there are days when I think the burger doctor might have been on to something.

Monday would be one of those days. It would be a burger-only day for me. Of late I've been running into some rough hamburgers for my reviews and, quite honestly, I’m tired of it. I’m tired of relating the sad, desiccated state of a drive-in’s roadkill patty, or the overwrought affair

I had at a barbecue joint. I don’t sharpen my pen in hopes of slicing up a restaurant with a clever turn of phrase. I’m rooting for all of them. Or perhaps better put, I’m rooting for my mouth. I want a delicious and memorable meal, not food for my evil thoughts.

In light of this, my first stop would take me back to a place that I’ve been enjoyed in the past and—more importantly—I planned on enjoying in my near future. 25 Degrees is part of the movement of “premium” burger restaurants that has taken off around the country. It, like the rest of its ilk, promises high-end ingredients, restaurant service, and (hopefully) delicious updates of the classic. I can really enjoy these places. In fact, my dinner would be another adventure in premium burgering, but I’ll tell that story in another post. Today, let’s do (a burger) lunch.

25 Degrees sits alongside the Hollywood Boulevard entrance of the recently refurbished and truly beautiful Roosevelt Hotel (and actually has an entrance from the hotel lobby aside from the street). The rectangular room of counter and high-backed booths looks out at the boulevard’s Walk of Fame and—with a slight neck crane—you spy the legendary Mann's Chinese Theater. The patterned red wallpaper and expensive finishes announce this place as more than an average burger joint, which comes as no surprise when you hear that the restaurateur team consists of Tim and Liza Goodell, known for their polished, of-the-moment establishments. They thought of 25 Degrees for the casual restaurant space that needed filling at the Roosevelt. The name refers to the temperature difference between a medium rare and well done burger—or, as my colleague Nick might put it, the difference between slightly overcooked and murdered. I'm okay with the first five degrees of those twenty-five.

The menu is "build your own" though you will find a couple of house constructions available to you. I’ve eaten and enjoyed the suggested combinations in the past so I decided to take on a simple cheeseburger. The meat is ground sirloin from Daniels Western Meatpackers, a half-century old butcher whose products run the gamut. In this case, it’s their premium line. There are thirteen cheese options and almost all of them are sourced, fancy pants varietals. I choose the American and I order my burger medium rare. I also order up a half fries, half rings plate along with a Guinness shake, a shake made with Guinness beer. The "spiked shake" has become a signature of these high-end burger joints, but I’d yet to have one with Guinness.

The burger arrives looking every bit the Hollywood star. A gorgeous, cheesy patty smiles at me from its perfectly-round, brioche-style bun perch. The veggie toppings arrive on the side. Looking at this beauty I decide that they’ll have to make do with a supporting role as plate garnish—I want the pure meat and cheese experience.

The first bite is juicy and satisfying in the way that reminds you money can buy certain kinds of happiness. It’s a full, rich mouthful that hits me with a rush of pleasure akin to hearing the curtain whisk close behind me as I walk into a plane’s first class cabin.

The bun, which initially struck me as too large for my eight-ounce patty, is actually beautifully light and spongy. The texture of brioche is usually its undoing, but this version has the airy give of a proper commercial bun. Turns out 25 Degrees uses its own recipe specifically designed for their burger. The quality of the pliable bun and juiciness of the meat is evidence in the last photo I snapped before I devoured the last bite of this beauty.

The meat is beautifully charred and juicy. The grill has left its mark on the exterior without damaging the cooking temperature on the interior. There isn't an abundance of seasoning, but the clean beef-forward taste of this high-quality grind cuts through. Normally I'd be craving a bit more salt, but alongside the char, the intense flavor of this quality beef is all I need. The cheese is perfectly melted (it's almost become one with my patty) and I enjoy the added fat it contributes, but there's just a bit too much of it. Although American cheese has a tang that is everything I love about my country and its impulse to do things its own way, when improperly portioned it threatens to becomes an imperialist.

The fries and rings are plated to look as though they are pouring out of a Chinese take-out box. It's the kind of cutesy gimmick that usually would be lost on me, but I'm pleased to discover it actually helps hold on to some heat. The fries are fast food-style and very nicely cooked. Unfortunately, there was a decision made to season them with thyme. I imagine they were going for earthy, but after a few fries I’m overwhelmed by the seasoning. The rings, however, are a beautiful example of the dish. The batter is peppery and crispy, and the onion itself is almost creamy. I inquire about the recipe and find out that—like so many good things—it's kept like a secret. I am able to elicit a "buttermilk" and "soaked for hours" before the manager's lips tighten.

The Guinness shake is lovely to look at with its pattern of chocolate sauce expertly painted on the inside of the glass. I ordered it because it sounded like nothing I’d ever want to drink, as though 25 Degrees knows something I don’t know about how to enjoy a Guinness and a shake. I take a couple of swallows and get my answer: they don’t. It tastes like someone poured beer in my shake. Please don’t pour beer in my shake.

This premium experience was almost entirely what I was looking for. The shortcomings can be overlooked when the burger itself is as good as it is. That said, I’d be remiss not to mention that my server was terrible at his job (though one of his counterparts seemed great) and that premium burgers come with premium prices. My burger, fries/rings, and shake came to almost thirty bucks.

I finished up my lunch, delighted to have had such a delicious burger. A good burger is such pure and satisfying experience—it’s an exercise in fulfilling our body’s needs with a simplicity and pleasure that should be the model for all of our activities. Walking along Hollywood Boulevard in the mid-afternoon sunshine, I smiled to myself while thinking about the twisted genius of a doctor who'd only eat burgers. To be sure, I'd never insist on only eating burgers, but today the lingering pleasure of my burger lunch gave me some added insight into obsession. I was already dreaming of my burger dinner.

Tags: 25 Degrees, AHT reviews, Hollywood, LA, Southern California

Recipe: El Cholo's Chiles Rellenos

Chile Rellenos are one of my favorite mexican dishes (a fave of my wife's as well). Particularly love chile relleno burritos. Ran across this in the LA Times and I think i'll give it a try one day. does seem very labor-intensive though... one of those things that must may be easier just to get carry-out done by someone that knows what they are doing...

And don't you gotta love the 40 grams of fat and 400+ calories per serving? and that's before the rice and beans and sour cream... now we're talkin' health food!
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CULINARY SOS

Recipe: El Cholo's Chiles Rellenos

by Noelle Carter

Los Angeles Times

Dear SOS: I grew up loving the chiles rellenos from El Cholo. I remember going to the Western Avenue location as a kid when it still looked more like a house than a restaurant. Nowadays, I go to the Santa Monica location more often than the downtown location. Both serve the fluffiest, most satisfying rellenos I have ever eaten. It's the standard by which I judge all others. If you could coax the recipe from them, I would love to try to make them at home.
Gayle Endo
Rancho Park

Dear Gayle: These chiles rellenos, from one of Los Angeles' most venerable Mexican restaurants, have an avid following all their own. The trick with that extra-fluffy coating lies in El Cholo's method: A little of the whipped egg batter is fried on its own until set, then a stuffed chile is gently laid over; more batter is spooned over the chile, then it is flipped and fried to golden perfection. Drizzle a spoonful of the rich and slightly tangy relleno sauce over the top to complete this signature dish.

El Cholo's chiles rellenos
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Note: Adapted from El Cholo

Relleno sauce

1 tablespoon oil
3 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 whole canned green chiles, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves

Salt

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Stir in the garlic, oregano, onion, vinegar, bell pepper, tomatoes (and their juice), chiles and broth. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the black pepper, bay leaves and salt to taste.

2. Reduce th heat to a gentle simmer and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and the tomatoes start to break apart, about 25 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, discard the bay leaves, and mash the tomatoes with a potato masher or whisk until you have a coarse sauce. Season again to taste. Set aside in a warm place.

Chiles rellenos

3/4 pound grated cheddar cheese
6 whole canned green chiles
6 eggs, separated
Vegetable oil

Relleno sauce

1. Divide the cheese into 6 mounds and roll each mound into a football-shaped ball with your hands. Slit each chile lengthwise halfway and gently stuff a ball of cheese into each. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, 4 to 6 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until frothy. Gently fold the yolks into the whites to complete your egg batter.

3. In a large skillet or frying pan, add enough oil to come up the sides by one-half inch. Heat the oil until a thermometer inserted reads 350 degrees.

4. Gently spoon a little egg batter into the pan, spreading it so it is roughly the dimensions of one side of a stuffed chile. As soon as the batter begins to set, 1 to 2 minutes, lay a chile over the top, then spread an equivalent amount of batter over the chile.

5. Turn over the chile relleno and fry an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden on all sides. Remove the chile relleno with a slotted spatula or spoon, and place on a warm plate. Repeat until you have 6 chiles rellenos.

6. Spoon one-half cup sauce over each chile relleno and serve immediately.

Each serving: 483 calories; 22 grams protein; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 40 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 271 mg. cholesterol; 672 mg. sodium.

Culinary SOS request: Write to us at food@latimes.com, include your name and daytime phone number, and tell us what recipe you're just dying to have. Times Test Kitchen Manager Noelle Carter will do her best to get it.

"Pig Candy"... No, i didn't believe it either....

"Pig Candy"? are you kidding me? that's a new one even for this carnivore/bbq lover. no thanks, but thought i'd post here for your reading enjoyment... different strokes, right?

From BBQ blog/site: http://buckymcoinkumsbbq.com/

Pig Candy - A Great Christmas Appetizer

Christmas brings a lot of opportunities to socialize and throw parties. Whether throwing a party of just going to one, I like to have a few things that I can cook pretty easily in case I need to host people or just take something along with me to a party.

I made something the other day that’s nothing new, but I hadn’t made it in a while. It’s not a good item for the Hanukkah events that friends may be throwing, but it’s good for just about any Christmas party. I have tasted pork heaven, and its name is Pig Candy. So what is Pig Candy? It’s actually one of the easiest things to make, but oh-so-addictive and tasty. The ingredients are simple:

• Bacon. Not thick sliced or peppered
  


• Dark brown sugar. If only light is available, adding a bit of molasses helps


• Ground chiles. I like cayenne, chipotle and/or ancho. Ancho isn’t as hot, but is helped with a touch of cayenne.
  

For amounts, I start with about 2 cups of brown sugar for a pound of bacon. I mix in the chiles with the brown sugar; if I use cayenne, I use maybe 1/8 teaspoon. If I use ancho, I go with more like 1/2 of a tablespoon to a tablespoon. This is one of those things that you have to play with to see how much or little you prefer.

The oven doesn’t get preheated, so don’t worry about that. Start with a cooling rack that fits inside a cookie sheet/half sheet pan, and lay on the bacon in a single layer as tightly as you can. It will shrink up a lot, so just make sure it’s not overlapped. Then place the pan in the oven and turn it to 400 degrees F. I can’t remember why this is done in a non-preheated oven, but Alton Brown told me to do it that way, so I do!

The one change I make to AB’s method is that I turn down the oven once it reaches 400 degrees. I take the pan out of the oven, turn it down to 350 degrees F, and somewhat carefully layer the sugar/chile onto the bacon.

Once it’s on the bacon, I just smooth it out a bit. I like to put a good amount on each slice of bacon as it will melt off quite a bit, and I want to be sure to have plenty left on the bacon. Once the sugar is on the bacon, I put it back in the oven, turned 180 degrees from how it started. I then start my timing; every 4 minutes, I turn the bacon again, checking doneness. I like my bacon crisp, but even if you prefer yours less crisp, it needs to be crispy for this. I also turn on my overhead vent, as things start to smoke after a while.

I cooked this in the oven, but it can also be done on a grill or hot smoker. Once the bacon is crispy, I remove the pan from the oven and turn off the oven. Even if I’m doing another pan, I turn it off to let it cool somewhat before the next batch.

I immediately remove the bacon from the cooling rack onto paper towels so that it doesn’t stick to the cooling rack. If I’m doing more, I wipe off all the grease and melted sugar and start all over.

The end result is just ridiculous (My Comment: "ridiculous"... no argument here...). I’ve had people at my office offer to buy more, and one person suggested I sell it as a gourmet item locally (My Comment: "gourmet item"... just what i was thinking... right.). Little do they know that it was a bunch of barbecuers that told me how to do this stuff!

Total time for this is approximately 25 minutes, though your oven could cause things to cook a bit faster or slower. The 350 degree setting is used so that the sugar doesn’t burn.

How does this become an appetizer? Pig Candy is great all on its own, but put it on a festive platter with sliced pears and brie, or figs and cheddar, or all of the above, and you’ll have a high-class appetizer that’s a bit different than anything other people may be bringing to the party.

So any of you out there trying this, if you do a variation of any sort, let me know what it was, and how it turned out.