Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals (9 page)
Read Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals Online
Authors: Rachael Ray
Drizzle the nonstick pan or grill pan with EVOO and fry the sausage patties in 2 batches, 2 hot and 2 sweet at a time. The patties cook in 5 to 6 minutes per side, so you can make 2 batches in less than 30 minutes.
While the sausages cook, add 1 tablespoon EVOO to the second skillet and fry up the peppers, onion, and garlic for 6 to 7 minutes, until tender but still full of color and a little crunch. Season the veggies with the red pepper flakes and salt to taste.
To assemble, pile some peppers and onions on a sweet sausage patty. Top with 2 slices of the provolone and a hot sausage patty. Press to set. Hold the patties under a foil tent for 1 minute so the cheese melts and the 2 patties and veggies all stick together.
4
SERVINGS
| 1⅓ | pounds ground turkey (the average weight of 1 package) |
| 1 | small yellow onion, finely chopped |
| ½ | red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped |
| A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped | |
| Several drops of Worcestershire sauce | |
| 1 | tablespoon smoked paprika (a palmful) |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| ⅓ | pound smoked Gouda cheese, cut into ¼-inch dice |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling | |
| 1 | cup watercress, finely chopped |
| 1 | small shallot, minced |
| 1 | cup sour cream |
| 8 | red leaf lettuce leaves |
| 4 | slices pumpernickel bread |
| 4 | celery ribs, cut into sticks |
| 8 | radishes, trimmed |
Heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl mix the turkey with the onion, bell pepper, parsley, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Fold in the chopped smoked Gouda. Score the meat with your hand into 4 sections. Form each section into a large patty 1 inch thick. Drizzle the patties with EVOO and cook for 6 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
While the burgers cook, mix the watercress, shallot, and sour cream in a small bowl. Season the thick sauce with salt to taste.
To serve, place 2 lettuce leaves on each slice of bread. Top with a burger. Top burgers with some sauce and serve with a few celery sticks and radishes on the side for munching (they’re good with the sauce, too).
This burger and the side that follows are fancy enough to entertain with and much more affordable than steaks and lobster for your crew!
4
SERVINGS
| 1½ | pounds ground sirloin |
| 1 | large shallot, finely chopped |
| 2 | tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped |
| 1 | tablespoon Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 | teaspoon smoked Hungarian paprika or 2 teaspoons ground cumin (eyeball it) |
| 2 | teaspoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning, or coarse salt and coarse black pepper |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling | |
| 8 | raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley |
| 1 | lemon, zested and then cut into wedges |
| 2 | garlic cloves, finely chopped |
| ½ | head iceberg lettuce, cored and quartered |
| 2 | rounded tablespoons prepared horseradish |
| 1 | cup bottled chili sauce |
| 4 | slices of toasted white or wheat bread |
Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high.
In a large bowl combine the beef, shallot, thyme, Worcestershire, smoked paprika or cumin, and grill seasoning. Divide the meat into 4 portions and form large patties about 1¼ inches thick.
Coat the beef patties with a drizzle of EVOO. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, 6 minutes per side for medium well to well-done.
Cut the shrimp along the deveining line and “butterfly” them open a little. Be careful not to cut all the way through the shrimp and to leave the tails intact. Place the shrimp in a shallow dish and coat in EVOO. Sprinkle with the grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Add the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic and turn the shrimp to coat evenly in flavorings. Grill the shrimp alongside the meat patties for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until heads curl toward tails and the shrimp are pink.
While the meat and shrimp cook, arrange 4 beds of cut iceberg lettuce on a platter and combine the horseradish with chili sauce in a small bowl. To serve, place the burgers on toast with lettuce “buns” as tops and dot with sauce, then top with 2 grilled shrimp. Pass the remaining sauce and the lemon wedges at the table. Serve with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles.
These bundles can be easily prepared on an outdoor grill or in a hot oven.
4
SERVINGS
| 1 | to 1¼ pounds asparagus tips, 4 to 5 inches long |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling | |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 4 | slices center-cut bacon or pancetta |
| Chopped fresh chives or scallions, for garnish (optional) |
Preheat the oven, if using, to 400°F. or preheat an outdoor grill.
Lightly coat the asparagus spears in EVOO. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Take a quick count of the spear tips. Divide the total number by four. Gather that number of spears and use a slice of bacon to wrap the bundle and secure the spears together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
To grill, place the bundles on the hot grill and cover. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes over indirect heat until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus bundles are tender.
For oven preparation, place the bundles on a slotted broiler pan. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus bundles are tender.
Sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.
4
SERVINGS
| 1⅓ | pounds ground turkey breast (the average weight of 1 package) |
| 1 | medium red onion, half finely chopped, half diced |
| ¼ | pound sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into ¼-inch dice |
| 1 | rounded tablespoon chili powder (a healthy palmful) |
| 2 | teaspoons ground cumin (⅔ palmful) |
| 1 | jalapeño or serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped |
| 2 | garlic cloves, chopped |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling |
| ½ | cup sour cream |
| A handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped | |
| ½ | head iceberg lettuce, chopped |
| 1 | ripe mango, peeled and diced |
| 1 | small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips |
| 1 | ripe Hass avocado |
| 2 | limes |
| 4 | Corn Toasties (corn toaster cakes), any brand, toasted |
Preheat a large nonstick skillet, indoor grill pan, or tabletop grill to medium-high heat.
In a medium bowl combine the ground turkey, the finely chopped onion, the Cheddar, chili powder, cumin, jalapeño, garlic, salt, and pepper. Score the meat with the side of your hand to separate into 4 equal amounts. Form into 4 large patties no more than 1 inch thick. Drizzle EVOO on the patties and place them in the hot skillet or on the hot grill. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until the turkey is cooked through.
While the burgers are cooking, prepare the rest of the meal. For the cilantro cream, in a small bowl combine the sour cream, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
Next, in a salad bowl combine the chopped iceberg, mango, red bell pepper, and the diced onion. Cut all around the circumference of the ripe avocado, lengthwise and down to the pit. Twist and separate the halved fruit. Remove the pit with a spoon, then scoop the flesh out in one piece from both halves. Chop the avocado into bite-size pieces and add them to the salad. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes over the salad and drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of EVOO, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
Serve the Cheddar-studded turkey burgers topped with a little of the cilantro cream on toaster cakes and a mound of the iceberg salad alongside.
Get your juices flowing! To get lots of juice from your lemons and limes, heat them in a microwave for 10 seconds on High before you juice them. When you are juicing lemons, remember to hold them cut side up when you squeeze them so the pits remain with the lemon and not in your recipe.
The herbed butter in the center of the burger adds great flavor and tons of moisture and is a good-time, exploding centerpiece to this fast and simple meal.
4
SERVINGS
| ¼ | cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh chives |
| 1 | tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (a few sprigs, stripped) |
| 4 | tablespoon-size tabs of cold butter (½ stick cut in 4 thick slices) |
| 2 | pounds ground chicken |
| 3 | tablespoons Worcestershire sauce |
| 3 | tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling | |
| 4 | rounded tablespoons sour cream |
| Juice of 1 lemon | |
| 4 | to 5 tablespoons chopped fresh dill |
| 1 | tablespoon prepared horseradish |
| 8 | radishes, sliced |
| ½ | small red onion, thinly sliced |
| 2 | cups shredded carrots (on the produce aisle) |
| 1 | English (seedless) cucumber (the one wrapped in plastic), cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced into half-moons |
| 3 | celery ribs, thinly sliced |
| 2 | cups coleslaw mix (on the produce aisle) |
| 4 | slices of rye bread or marble rye, toasted |
Preheat a large nonstick skillet, indoor grill pan, or tabletop grill to medium-high heat.
On your cutting board, combine 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley, the chopped chives, and the chopped thyme. Dip the tabs of cold butter into the herbs one at a time, pressing the herbs into the butter to coat them completely.
In a medium bowl combine the ground chicken, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 large patties no more than 1 inch thick. Nest 1 herb-coated cold butter tab into the center of each patty and gently form the patty around the butter. Drizzle EVOO over the patties and place them in a hot skillet or on a hot grill. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side.
