SERV'n Up Black Bean Burgers

Photo credit: SERV International

We know you have seen the commercials with the beautiful actress who implores you to donate a dollar to feed a family for a day. If you are like us, you have always wondered how that could be possible. Enter SERV International, an Atlanta-based, non-profit organization that provides meals for impoverished nations through donations. They have created a way to nourish a person for an entire day for only 5 cents. The SERV 1 Feed 1 project distributes dehydrated meals in which one 8-ounce serving can satisfy a person's hunger for a day. To date, the project has distributed more than 5 million meals in Kenya, and over 1 million meals in the Dominican Republic.

You might be able to imagine our curiosity when we were challenged by the Association of Food Bloggers to participate in the SERV’n It Up Contest to come up with a creative recipe featuring SERV International‘s life-sustaining vegetable blend. The meal packets come in a dry form that when mixed with water and heated, provide vital nutrients to starving individuals. The mixture contains de-hydrated potatoes, rice, fortified textured vegetable protein, caramel color, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B6, riboflavin. vitamin B1, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin B12, carrots, and onions which provides 680 calories per serving. SERV International provided us with a generous supply of the mix (enough to prepare 8 servings) to craft an enticing recipe.

With the summer season heating up, we thought the mix would make a wonderful vegetarian burger that could be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Black beans are a healthy addition which improves the color and texture of the patties.

SERV Black Bean Burgers

• ¼ cup SERV vegetable mix (or substitute 1 cup cooked rice)
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (15-ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup quick-cook oats
• ½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Combine SERV vegetable mix with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and give the mix a good stir then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 or so minutes. Once tender, remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, drain the mixture well in a sieve, patting with a paper towel to remove excess moisture if necessary.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers, and reduce the heat to medium, and cook until they are translucent and softened. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Drain the canned black beans, (again making sure they are drained very well) and place in a large mixing bowl.  Using a potato masher or fork, mash the black bean mixture roughly, so that some black bean chunks remain. Add drained SERV vegetable mix, quick oats, cumin, sautéed onions and peppers, and blend together. Taste and adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

Dust your hands with corn starch and divide the bean mixture into 4 balls. Flatten the balls down to form burger patties. Dust a little corn starch on each patty; not too much, just a sprinkle. (You can freeze the patties at this point in a single layer in air tight containers).

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet and place 2 burger patties on the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium-high heat on each side. Remove when a crispy golden crust forms on both sides. Add more oil to the skillet and fry up the other 2 patties. Serve the patties as you would any burger on your favorite buns with ketchup, mustard and relish.

SERV International is doing amazing things to help feed those in need. You can help by visiting http://servone.org/serv1feed1 to donate, and by spreading the word about these lifesaving meals on Google+, Facebook, and on Twitter at hashtag #5centmeal.

The Mighty Meatball

Sometimes the most obvious things in life are the easiest to overlook; such is the case with the family meatball recipe. When Dom was stopped in the hallway at work by a co-worker and asked where she could find the meatball recipe, it became clear that that we had not shared our procedure with our faithful followers. So, we immediately sought to remedy the situation. Thus, without further ado…

We make meatballs in large batches and freeze them. Of course, you could use the pre-cooked meatballs in a variety of other recipes, but we never do. Ours go directly from the freezer and into our weekly batch of also-made-from-scratch pomodoro. The real trick is to allow the meatballs to cook in the sauce for hours (yes, plural) to allow them to fully absorb as much moisture as absolutely possible.

Now, if you want to try heaven on a bun; plop a few juicy meatballs on a toasted hoagie roll, top them with mozzarella, broil until the cheese is bubbly and brown, and then (after wiping the drool from your chin) devour them, being careful not to burn the roof of your mouth on the gooey cheese and hot meaty goodness!

• 4 lbs. ground meat (a combination of beef and pork is optimal)
• 1 ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs, can be stale but not toasted
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs and milk. Next, incorporate breadcrumbs, cheese and spices and then gently mix in ground meat. It is best to fold the ingredients together by hand resisting the urge to “squish” the mixture. Too much mixing makes the meatballs gluey and dense. The idea is to handle the meatballs as little as possible.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a spoon, (we use a cookie scoop which looks like a small ice cream scoop) gently form uniform-sized orbs and place about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheet. You can use your hands to shape the meatballs, but remember the more you handle them the tougher they get.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until just cooked through. The baking time will depend on the size of your meatballs. To quote Dom, “They should look like the moon; round and gray.” While “gray” may sound unappetizing, you do not want to over bake the meatballs since they will cook even more in the final preparation.

Allow the meatballs to cool before using. This allows the juices to retreat and be absorbed by the breadcrumbs. Then you can use them or freeze them. They will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer, but ours rarely last that long.

Live a Clean deliberateLIFE

In the new world on digital media, there are a cacophony of e-magazines designed specifically for ipads and e-readers. With the ability to embed moving graphics, video content and zoom features, digital magazines are truly an enhanced experience. Yet, even the glitziest of widgets cannot overcome lackluster content and writing.

Imagine the surprise to find a digital magazine that is not only candy for the eyes with well-written articles spanning a diverse spectrum of topics. Chock-full of articles, deliberateLIFE magazine is focused on inspiring people to live well and make intentional choices about how they should best spend their time and money, engage in their communities, and understand global issues.

The most recent issue of deliberateLIFE is an ode to the wonderful months of summer and the great outdoors. The Perspectives section features recollections of and reflections on happy memories of summer; the Kids Corner includes a variety of activities to help students to learn to live a purpose-driven life; the Travel section gives a window into Cambodia with its rich and complex cultural history; and, the Daily Life section offers tips for being a conscientious consumer of summer produce, ideas for memorable, yard- to-table summer soirees, recipes for “cruelty-free” cocktails, and recommendations for safe, natural spring cleaning products like lemons:

• The juice from this acidic fruit cleans hard water deposits and soap scum easily. 
• To create a cleaning paste, mix lemon juice with baking soda. Use the paste to remove odors from cutting boards, and to shine copper and brass.
• Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle the top with salt. Use it to scrub dishes and plates.Lemon juice acts as a bleaching agent for removing stains as well.
• Drop used lemons and peels into the garbage disposal to clean the blades and freshen the kitchen air.

To get a sneak peek at the magazine, visit the deliberateLIFE blog. The deliberateLIFE Magazine is published six times a year and the ipad app is currently free through the iPad Newsstand. Once you have  downloaded the app, it will be visible in the iPad Newsstand and then you will see all available issues. Choose to download a single issue for $3.99 or subscribe and receive a reduced price-per-issue. Subscribers also have access to exclusive content provide throughout the year.

From the daily commute to the food you eat, you will find ideas about everyday things that you can do to live a more healthy, engaged, globally- conscious, deliberate life.

Make-it-Parve Spring Pea Soup

We consider ourselves very lucky to have been given the opportunity to review the new cookbook, The New Jewish Table, by Todd and Ellen Kassoff Gray of Washington, DC's Equinox Restaurant, While the internet provides us with thousands of recipes just by using a few keystrokes, it cannot replace the touch and the feel of a cookbook especially one with gorgeous pictures of the featured dishes.

Every cookbook tells a story and Todd and Ellen tell theirs in chatty, interview-style at the beginning of each recipe. Their stories and memories are peppered throughout the cookbook. The table of contents and recipes in the cookbook are organized by season and then by meal (e.g. brunch, starters, lunch, dinner, sides, desserts). Each recipe is also labeled in one of three categories: meat, diary, mixed and parve.  The ingredients are separately delineated and listed in the order they are used in the cooking instructions which are clear and easy to follow.

There are two sections at the end of the book. The first is a Holiday Menu section with menus for the four most important Jewish holidays followed by a Chef’s Appendix with recipes for spice blends, sauces and condiments as well as techniques used elsewhere in the cookbook. Many of the recipes have an endnote explaining how to make the dish parve so that it can be served with other dishes in the book.  And when it comes to cookbooks, the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” is most fitting.  A majority of the recipes in this cookbook also include a beautiful full-color photograph of the completed dish.

When we saw lovely, fresh petit pois in the market, we knew we would have to try the Gray’s fresh pea soup from the Spring section of their cookbook to try! The resulting soup was delicious. With the fresh green smell of spring come from the pot, it was impossible to resist skimming a small cup before allowing the mixture to chill as recommended in the recipe. Even warm, the smooth, creamy, bright green soup looked and tasted like the essence of spring. This will definitely be a repeat performance.

Early Spring Pea Soup
(recipe used with permission of St. Martin’s Press)

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound fresh or thawed frozen shelled English peas
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/16 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon sugar (if needed)

For Garnish: 

• 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen shelled peas
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream (optional)
• 4 mint leaves, very finely and neatly diced

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are shining and garlic is aromatic; about 3 minutes. Add the peas, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. If your peas are sweet you shouldn't need the sugar, but sugar will boost the flavor, so if you need it, stir it in now. Bring the soup to simmering, lower the heat to low and let the soup simmer until the peas are tender; about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer the soup to the container of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process to a smooth puree. Pour the soup through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and you are ready to serve it; at least 60 minutes (you can alternatively place the bowl over another bowl filled with ice). Taste the soup and add more salt or pepper to taste.

Blanch the peas for the garnish. If using fresh peas, bring a medium pot of water to boiling over high heat, add the peas, and cook until crisp-tender; 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.

To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and top each with some blanched peas, 1 tablespoon of creme fraiche, and a sprinkling of mint.

To Make it Parve: Omit the sour cream or creme fraiche garnish to make the dish dairy-free.

This cookbook would be a wonderful addition to any cook’s bookshelf. The recipes which are versatile and diverse will appeal to any home cook not just those of the Jewish faith. While we are not Jewish, we found the book wonderfully informative and laid out in such a way as to make it easy to understand and prepare a meal for Jewish friends and family members. This 352-page hardcover cookbook is available from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press as well as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Treat Mom to the Perfect Brunch

Each year, we all do our best to spoil our Moms on the day named just for her. We lay plans to let her sleep late and make her breakfast in bed. This year, why not go a step further and plan a brunch for the whole family replete with breakfast and lunchtime favorites accompanied by cocktails to complement the offerings. If you’re new to planning a brunch and would like to make your own this weekend, here are a few ideas that will make your brunch a treat worthy of Mom.

Eggs:
Eggs are the staple to brunch menus. Whatever you decide to cook, always include an egg recipe as either the main dish or a side dish. However, making eggs doesn't necessarily mean you have to be satisfied with the common scramble. Be creative! There are several ways you can dress up your eggs.

Herbs are a marvelous addition to accentuate their flavor. Parsley, cilantro, dill and tarragon are all good choices. One of the most common mistakes one can make when making eggs is to overcook them. Depending on how you’re making them, the perfect eggs will be creamy and buttery to the touch. A technique you can use for the perfect eggs are to turn off the burner as soon as they appear slightly under cooked  They’ll finish cooking as they rest on the pan. Another trick for better eggs is to add about a tablespoon of water into your egg mixture. This will make them airy and fluffy. Other egg dishes that lend themselves to a brunch buffet are frittatas, eggs benedict, omelets or even a south of the border classic like huevos rancheros!

Meats and Veggies:
Meat always makes an appearance at brunch. Europeans commonly serve platters of cold cuts and cheeses as part of their typical breakfast buffets.Whether it’s bacon, sausage, chorizo, pancetta or ham, meat is always a binding element that brings veggies (like red and green pepper, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, or onions) and eggs together. Meat and veggie skillets are popular side dishes for brunch, providing a savory and salty contrast.

Crepes, Waffles and Pancakes:
Another component for a successful brunch is to have breads and pastries that will contrast the hearty taste and texture of eggs. Most common brunch ideas for batter-made foods are crepes, waffles or pancakes.

Waffles and pancakes are probably the easiest to make, nevertheless the bad execution of said dishes could make them chewy or tough. A tip to keep batter from becoming dense in the pan or oven is to hold back from over mixing. The more you beat the batter the denser they’ll be, leaving you with thicker but tough pan-fried dough.

Fruit:
There is nothing more spectacular than fresh seasonal fruit to complement any brunch table! Strawberries, blueberries, a selection of melon and even pineapple are delicious on their own or served atop your pancakes, crepes and waffles.

Beverages:
There are a variety of drinks that will both quench your thirst and enhance your brunch menu. Freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice are popular favorites. These also make delicious mixers for brunch cocktails such as mimosas or grapefruit sparklers. Bloody Marys are another common brunch beverage and our personal favorite is a Creole version:

• 4 oz. tomato juice
• 1 ½ oz. vodka
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard (we use Zatarain’s)
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce to taste (we prefer Louisiana brand)
• Lime wedge for garnish
• Pickled okra (or any of your favorite vegetable condiments)

Combine all liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into your favorite glass and add lime wedge and pickled okra.

By planning ahead and getting a little creative, you can start Mom’s day with a treat she will never forget!

Originally posted 5/7/2013

¡Hola Horchata!

The traditional Mexican version of this ancient beverage is made with rice. It is always spiced with cinnamon sweetened and often flavored with lime. This drink can be found in most Mexican restaurants and is often sold by street vendors in Mexico  City. There are many tasty variations to the recipe, but they all come back to the same basic premise of a creamy, yet light drink that goes down very smoothly.  It has very pleasant cinnamon and vanilla overtones and a sweetness that is subtle and not overdone. Since it does not contain dairy, it will not spoil as easily as milk. In fact, rice milk is made using the same process as horchata with the omission of cinnamon.

Rembrandt's "Boaz Casting Barley into Ruth's Veil," c. 1645

The word "horchata" derives from the Latin word  hordeum which means "barley." At one time, barley was the world’s most prestige grain; the further back you go in history, the more important it was. Barley bread was eaten by Plato and Aristotle in ancient Greece and was the bread of the Bible. It would also have been familiar to Confucius in 500BC. The original horchata was the most venerable of grain drinks: barley water. Over time indigenous chufa (also known as tigernut) was substituted for the barley in Egypt.

The drink made its way to Spain. When the Spaniards brought the drink to Mexico, the natives used locally grown rice to make the drink. Horchata is sometimes made with melon or squash seeds as well. The rice, nuts or seeds are ground and mixed with water to make a milky-looking agua de fresca.

Horchata is quite well-suited for extinguishing the occasional fires that are ignited by fiery Mexican food.  It is especially complimentary to all types of savory dishes including a local favorite of fresh, hot tacos cloaked in spicy pineapple salsa.

• 1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed
• 4 cups water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/3 cup sugar (or more to taste)
• 1 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

Wash and drain rice. Combine rice with cinnamon sticks in water and soak overnight in the refrigerator.

After the rice has soaked for a minimum of 8 hours, preferably overnight, discard the cinnamon sticks and pour rice, half of the soaking water, sugar and vanilla into a blender while reserving the unused soaking water. Blend rice on low for 3-5 minutes until well blended and finely ground. Pour the blended rice mixture through fine mesh sieve two times, and then through cheesecloth one more time to remove all gritty bits of rice.

Pour the strained rice water mixture into a pitcher adding the reserved soaking water and stir well to combine. Add more sugar if needed, to taste. To serve, pour over ice and garnish with ground cinnamon and a lime wedge, if desired.

Olé Pozolé

This post was originally written for inclusion on the Virginia-Highland Civic Association website on May 1, 2013:

Tucked away behind some of the neighborhood’s more raucous eating establishments is one of Virginia-Highland’s hidden jewels, Pozolé Restaurant. This family friendly eatery is named after a Mexican specialty made with hominy (alkali-treated corn) and is served on special occasions. “Party soup” seems to be a good depiction of this restaurant’s kitschy, rustic décor and affable staff.

The bold cantina-style offerings range from plates of Chiliqules to al la carte salsas, tacos and quesadillas which truly provide something for every appetite. A kids’ menu illustrated by a staff member features kid-friendly eats and activities which, along with craft paper on the tables and plenty of crayons, keep fidgety youngsters (and parents) occupied. Their freshly prepared pineapple salsa is just one example of the mild yet flavorful fare that can be enjoyed by kids as well as adults. They gladly shared the recipe with us:

Pineapple Salsa

• 2 cups grilled pineapple, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and finely diced
• ½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼  teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup pineapple or lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together well. Refrigerate until ready to serve with crispy tortilla chips or as a compliment to grilled fish, chicken or rice.

Pozolé is well known for their sociable, artsy staff headed by Manager Susannah Aaron who is fiercely protective of her younger patrons. She censors both the jukebox and the large television in the main dining area during family time. As the evening wears on, however, the clientele and the atmosphere mature as dating couples and late night roisterers enjoy Latin noshes and margaritas at the Tequila bar.

To celebrate Mexican heritage and pride, Pozolé (along with Creative Loafing and Limerick Junction) is hosting the 6th annual Cinco de Mayo Block Party which begins at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 4th with face painting and balloon artists. “Cinco en Cuatro” will also feature bands Rocksploitation, Unzipt, Lunatics and others both inside and out. For more information, visit http://pozolerestaurant.com.