Sunday, April 19, 2015

Steelhead Trout Burgers, Dill Yogurt Sauce, Lemon Pico de Gallo, & Sauteed Kale with Parsnip Fries

One of my favorite things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the fresh fish they farm out of the Columbia River.  It doesn't get more fresh or delicious.  I found the most beautiful Steelhead Trout, so I decided to make burgers. 

I will not eat mayonnaise. Ever.  So I've been developing ways to make dressings and sauces with Greek yogurt.  I use it for all kinds of things like my Blue Cheese Wedge Salad or my Chipotle Cream for tacos instead of sour cream.  It's just so tangy and literally dances on my tongue!  I love when flavors do that!  For this burger I made a dill yogurt sauce, and it was a huge pay off.  

I had left over Lemon Pico de Gallo from my Open Faced Sloppy Joes recipe, so I decided they would make a perfect topping for this burger.  Then I sauteed some kale.  If you don't like kale, you're cooking it wrong.  It needs acid, sugar, and a little fat, and if you're gonna cook kale, make sure it sautes for a long time to break down the stems.  

A burger has to have fries right?  For a healthier version, I chopped up a few parsnips and baked them in the oven until they were crispy!  You're gonna love these! 

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Steelhead Trout Burgers:

1 lb. Steelhead Trout
3 tbsp. fresh dill 
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Dill Yogurt Sauce: 

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 lemon
1 tbsp. grated onion
1 garlic clove grated
3 tbsp. fresh English cucumber grated 
pinch salt and pepper

Lemon Pico de Gallo:

1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half 
1/2 onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper minced 
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
1/2 cup fresh English cucumbers seeded and chopped

Sauteed Kale:

1 bag chopped kale 
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon 
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. maple syrup 
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. salt 
1/2 tsp. pepper

Parsnip Fries: 

2 large parsnips 
1 tbsp. fresh dill
1 tbsp. olive oil 
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Start with the burgers.  Over medium heat saute the chopped shallots and garlic.  Add to a large bowl.  Remove the skin from the fish and mince.  Add the fish to the bowl.  Add the egg, dill, red pepper flakes, panko, salt and pepper.  Mix and form into patties. Set in the refrigerate to set up.  

2.  In a bowl add the yogurt.  Add fresh lemon. Use a grater to add the onion, garlic, and English cucumber.  Then add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.  Go easy on the salt.  It doesn't need a lot. 

3.  Chop all the ingredients for the pico de gallo, mix together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.  

4.  Over medium heat start the kale.  Saute the onions and garlic for a couple minutes, then add the kale.  It will shrink just like spinach. Add the white wine, lemon, chicken stock and stir to wilt the kale. Once the kale has wilted add the maple syrup, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and let the kale cook for at least 30 minutes.  The longer it cooks, the more tender it will become.  You might have to add a little more liquid to keep the it from burning.  Add a little chicken stock or wine or lemon.  Your choice.  

4.  Now for the fries.  Peel the parsnips.  Cut in half, then continue to cut length wise in half until you have a piece that resembles a french fry.  The fries don't have to be perfect just similar in size. Place on a large sheet tray.  In a small bowl mix together olive oil and fresh dill and using a brush coat the fries.  Add a little salt and pepper.  Toss everything to coat.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20- 25 minutes turning once.  I preheat the oven at the same time I start the grill for the burgers.  

5. Heat grill on medium-high heat.  Put down a piece of tin foil and grill each burger 5 -6 minutes per side.  

6. Build your burger!  

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Open Faced Turkey Sloppy Joes with Lemon Pico de Gallo

It doesn't take much for me to start craving a sloppy joe.  It brings back the most wonderful childhood memory of my mother opening a can of sloppy joe mix and pouring it over ground beef.  If we didn't have buns, we'd make them opened faced on white bread. For some reason we ALWAYS had white bread.  

These days I enjoy making my own sloppy joes and try to find a healthier way to enjoy them.  Plus I've learned how to balance the sweetness with some acidity, so you're not biting into sugary ketchup soaked meat.  Not that there's anything wrong with this mom!  Kids love ketchup AND sugar! 

I kept the open faced idea from mom, and I added my twist to it. 

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Open Faced Turkey Sloppy Joes with Lemon Pico de Gallo

Sloppy Joes:

1 lb. ground turkey 
1 package of wheat buns 
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce (or V8 for more flavor) 
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. worcestershire 
1/2 fresh lemon <----- Here's the acid that makes it yummy!  
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Lemon Pico de Gallo:

1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 fresh lemon
pinch salt and pepper
1 tsp. olive oil 

1.  Brown ground turkey in a little olive oil over medium-high heat. When meat is about 75% of the way browned add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. 

2.  Add the remaining ingredients.  I taste as I go and tweak if I need more acid.  I don't like it tasting like sugar.  So if I need more lemon or vinegar, I add it.  

3. Chop all ingredients for the pico de gallo and mix together in a bowl.  Sometimes I do this step first and refrigerate to let the flavors come together before serving. 

4.  Serve the sloppy joe on an open faced bun.  Spoon the pico de gallo on top!  Success!

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