Lemon Pepper Tuna Burgers

I've seen a few different versions of tuna burgers on various food blogs lately.  When I was searching for inspiration for a healthy but flavorful lunch, I decided to try to create my own version and ended up making Lemon Pepper Tuna Burgers.

I only used three simple ingredients:

• 1 can of tuna
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup lemon pepper panko

I drained the water from the tuna and mixed the tuna, lemon pepper panko and egg in a bowl with a fork.

I warmed up a frying pan on the stove with a tablespoon of vegetable oil.  I shaped the tuna mixture into two patties and gently placed them on the pan. 

I cooked the tuna burgers on medium heat for about four minutes on each side until there was a nice golden-brown color to the burgers.  Although I did have some hamburger buns in the freezer, I decided to eat this tuna burger bunless with some leftover romaine salad. 

The tuna burger was incredibly moist.  The lemon pepper panko provided a lot of flavor, which is good because I didn't add any additional seasoning.  I topped the burger with Stonewall Kitchen Champagne Shallot Mustard and this lunch definitely hit the spot!

Tell me, what is your favorite type of burger to make at home?

A Quiet Afternoon at Temptations Cafe

Last week, I made a point to really find some time to relax as I geared up for my new job.  I had some time to kill before the craft beer and dessert tasting at Finale, so I decided to head out to Coolidge Corner a bit early.  I rarely make it out to that area so I wanted to find time to stop by the Meat House and also browse the used books section at Brookline Booksmith.  As I wandered around the neighborhood, I stumbled upon Temptations Cafe. 

I liked that they had a sign on the door with their Twitter handle and it made me curious enough to step inside.

I easily decided to have a chai latte but I wanted to try something sweet as well.  Their pastries were really huge so I settled on their smaller-sized baklava.

The chai latte was nice and foamy and I savored every sip.

The baklava had lovely flaky layers of phyllo dough and was wonderfully sweetened with honey and pistachios.

Temptations Cafe has a bright cheery aesthetic with plenty of tables to sip some coffee, read a book, use their free wi-fi, or just chat.   I came prepared to read the latest issue of Improper Bostonian and to tear our recipes from a few issues of last year's Everyday Food.  It was so relaxing and a perfect way to spend an hour or two.

Temptations Cafe is located at 1350 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA and also has two other Boston-area locations.

Spicy Roasted Salsa

I cannot count the number of times I've snacked on salsa and tortilla chips.  Yet for some reason, I've never attempted to make it on my own.  But when I perused through the most recent issue of Everyday Food, I found a really simple recipe for Classic Roasted Salsa.  When Bret's family had a small get-together last weekend, I decided to make salsa and give this recipe a try.  And, I'm going to say this in the least modest way possible - this was the best salsa I've ever tasted. 

I made the salsa a day in advance and I gathered all of the ingredients (except the fresh cilantro, which I would add right before serving add the party):

• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 large white onion (the original recipe called for a medium-sized onion but Whole Foods only had really large ones!)
• 3 jalapenos
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 limes
• Salt and fresh-cracked pepper, to taste

I started by preparing the vegetables.  I washed and de-stemmed the tomatoes and jalapenos.  I also halved and peeled the onion.  I lined a baking sheet with aluminum foil and placed all of the vegetables on the tray.

I heated the broiler on high and placed the baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven.  I broiled the vegetables for ten minutes but turned and moved the vegetables around every two minutes. 

The garlic cloves only stayed in the oven for about four minutes and I set them aside to cool while the rest of the vegetables blistered and browned.

I removed the skins from the garlic cloves and added half the garlic, tomatoes, jalapenos and onion to the food processor. 

I pulsed until there was room to add the rest of the vegetables and I continued to pulse until it was coarsely pureed.  I squeezed in the juice of the two limes, and also added a pinch of coarse salt and ground pepper.  I pulsed just enough to combine.

I transferred the salsa to a plastic container and refrigerated it overnight.  The next day, I transferred the salsa from the plastic container to a bowl and stirred in a 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

I loved that this salsa tasted super fresh and really spicy!  I was worried that the salsa would be too spicy but Bret thought it was perfect.  Plus, his family seemed to really enjoy it and we gave the leftovers to Bret's parents!  But, if you like your salsa more mild, you can add two or just one jalapeno.

I couldn't believe how easy this salsa was to make and I don't know why it took me so long to finally make salsa on my own!  I used to be the same way about pesto.  I would buy pesto all the time but after I made it for the first time, I couldn't remember why I thought making pesto was so difficult and why I didn't try making it sooner.  Ever since then, I never buy pesto and make it at home instead. 

Tell me, what dish have you made that was so surprisingly easy?

Al Fresco Dining at Aragosta

On Wednesday night, I was lucky enough to attend a blogger party at Aragosta. 

This month-old Italian restaurant is located at the Fairmont Battery Wharf hotel and I was really excited to check it out.  The inside of the restaurant was modern and sleek.

But on a gorgeous night like Wednesday evening, the real attraction was the terrace, which has a gorgeous waterfront view.

Meghan and I were definitely soaking up the sun!

The other side of the terrace had comfortable lounge-like areas that include fire-pits, which was pretty cool!

I was happy to sip on a glass of crisp pinot grigio by the fire pit. 

The kind folks at Aragosta and Fairmont Battery Wharf kindly provided some complimentary bites and cocktails.  The natural light made for some beautiful photos.  I should mention that Bret was my plus one for the event and took a lot of these photos (thanks Bret!).  Here are some of my favorite bites and sips that evening:

Hand-crafted selection of salumi, caponata, and hot cherry peppers

Perfectly-toasted crostinis

Small sips of Aragosta's version of a Moscow Mule (with fresh ginger)
and their Yellow Pepper Lemoncello Sour

This sauteed calamari salad was so refreshing and perfect for summer!

Tartufo fries with a strong truffle seasoning but perfectly fried in duck fat.

Lobster and truffle crostini with white bean puree.
I adored the huge chunks of lobster meat!

I loved the small plate presentation of the pappardelle bolognese
with oxtail and veal cheek ragu. 

Truffle rigatoni with warm goat cheese fondue.
I loved the tangry goat cheese in this dish!

The "Greenest" Dirty Martini combined basil with a traditional dirty martini.
This was SO creative!

I love, love, loved the flavors of this orecchiette dish, which combined
broccoli rabe, pancetta, capers and preserved lemon.

The gnocchi was so light and fluffy. 
It paired well with the tender slow-cooked lamb shoulder,
rosemary citrus sauce and asparagus.

This tuna was seared perfectly and I surprisingly enjoyed the golden-raisin puree.

We had trouble identifying the flavor of this marscapone ice cream,
but it was really delicious.

We got a chance to meet Executive Chef David Daniels and he sweetly spoke about how his mother inspires a lot of his cooking.  Meeting Chef Daniels was the perfect way to end the evening, especially with a glass of bubbly in hand!

Thanks again to Suzanne Wenz for inviting us to this wonderful evening!

Full disclosure: The food and drinks at Aragosta were complimentary, but as always, my opinion is honest and fully my own.

Aragosta is located in the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel located at 3 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Last week, I was browsing through my recipe binder when I came upon a recipe that I clipped from the Food Network Magazine's November 2010 issue for Brussels Sprouts Gratin.  I couldn't remember the last time I made Brussels sprouts at home and I thought that this would make a perfect dish for lunch.

First, I gathered the ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces (original recipe calls for unsalted butter but I didn't have any on hand)
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, outer leaves and stems removed
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

I started out by heating a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.  While the water was heating up, I pre-heated the oven to 400 degrees and sprayed a small casserole dish with baking spray.  I then got to work removing the outer leaves and stems of the Brussels sprouts. 

Once this was done, I gave the sprouts a rinse and added them to the pot of boiling water.  I cooked the sprouts for about five or six minutes until they were tender.  I didn't want to overcook the Brussels sprouts because nobody likes mushy Brussels sprouts!

Once the sprouts were done cooking, I drained the Brussels sprouts and coarsely chopped them.  I quartered the smaller Brussels sprouts and chopped the larger ones in eighths.  I put the chopped Brussels sprouts in the baking dish and tossed them with a generous helping of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  I added more than just a pinch of red pepper flakes because I always like a little heat to my food!

I spread the Brussels sprouts out evenly in the baking dish and then poured the heavy cream on top of the sprouts.

I sprinkled the grated white cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs on top of the Brussels sprouts.

And finally, I dotted the Brussels sprouts with the butter pieces.

I baked the gratin until bubbly and golden-brown.  This took me about eighteen minutes.  When it was done, the Brussels sprouts gratin was a sight for sore eyes.

The gratin would have made a great side dish but I served myself a generous helping for lunch and ate it on its own.

I loved the soft tender Brussels sprouts underneath the crispy breadcrumb and cheese crust.  I could have eaten plate after plate of this without thinking twice but I had to leave some for Bret too....reluctantly! 

Tell me, what is your favorite way to prepare Brussels sprouts?

Finale's Craft Beer and Dessert Pairing Menu

Last night, I was lucky enough to attend a special evening at Finale Desserterie & Bakery at their Brookline location.  The kind folks at Finale invited me and a guest to attend their craft beer event featuring a sampling of five flavored craft beers paired with some of Finale's desserts.  My friend Kristen happily accepted my invitation to be my plus one and we indulged in both desserts and beers last evening.

Executive Pastry Chef Nicole Coady carefully selected the desserts of the evening.  Chef Nicole advised us to try the dessert first and then the beer; and then to try the beer first and then the dessert. 

Erika Soucy from Great Brewers described the craft beers.  You can tell how passionate she is about beer and I loved hearing her vivid descriptions!







The craft beer and dessert pairings included:

• Lindeman's Peche with a Fresh Fruit Tart - I loved this fruity and floral peach beer.  It was so light and perfect for summer.  I've had the fruit tart before and loved the Tahitian vanilla in the Bavarian cream filling of the tart.
• Bosteel's Tripel Larmelier with Creme Brulee - This Belgian beer was rich and creamy.  While I liked the beer and creme brulee each separately, I didn't actually like the two paired together.  While sweet on its own, the beer tasted a bit bitter to me when followed by the creme brulee.
• Wells Banana Bread with Boston Cream - This beer was by far my favorite!  The nutty banana bread aroma was so strong and the flavor of the beer didn't disappoint!  The Boston Cream was also my favorite dessert!  Again, there was Bavarian cream with Tahitian vanilla, which was extremely flavorful.  I loved the yellow cake in the Boston Creme, which used both sour cream and buttermilk.  The use of these ingredients made the yellow cake less sweet, which I definitely enjoyed.
• Schneider Aventinus Eisbock with Chocolate Symphony  - I really liked this German beer which had a nice hint of cloves.  But the dessert stole the show in this pairing.  There were three layers of chocolate sandwiched between layers of chocolate cake - dark chocolate, white chocolate and milk chocolate mousse.  There was a subtle crunch at the bottom of the cake and Chef Nicole explained that it was just a bit of granulated sugar baked into the bottom of the cake for some texture.  I loved it!
• Atwater Vanilla Java Porter with Dark Chocolate Decadence - This was the only domestic beer this evening.  This porter is made with chocolate malts but it was surprisingly and unexpectedly light and not heavy at all.  This was a wonderful contrast to the dense dark chocolate dessert it was paired with.  The Dark Chocolate Decadence has a strong bittersweet cocoa flavor with subtle espresso notes.  Because I'm not the biggest fan of dense chocolate desserts, I'd have to say that I enjoyed the beer a bit more than the dessert in this pairing.

I had such a lovely time at Finale last night and I must thank Mindy Valone for inviting me to this craft beer and dessert tasting event!  Finale has some more fun events coming up this summer, like their sorbet and gelato tasting and their summer drinks tasting.  You can learn more about this fun events on their page here.

Full disclosure: The craft beer and dessert pairing menu was complimentary, but as always, my opinion is honest and completely my own.

Finale Desserterie & Bakery has three locations in the Boston area but I dined at the Coolidge Corner location at 1306 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA.