Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (26 page)

In the last minute of cooking time place 2 mini slices of cheese on each burger and tent the pan with foil to melt the cheese.

While the burgers cook, mash the avocado with the lime zest and juice, half the cilantro, half the red onion, the remaining clove of garlic, half of the chopped jalapeño, and salt to taste.

Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the remaining cilantro, red onion, and jalapeño, salt to taste, and the mustard to make a salsa.

In a separate bowl combine the sour cream with the hot sauce and cumin.

To assemble the sliders, layer as follows: bun bottom, a spoonful of beans spread around, a beef patty with cheese, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, olives, and bun top.

This burger is topped with buttery blue cheese, spicy arugula, and sweet 'n' spicy onions. It's a combo that can't be beat, but it can be matched: the pasta salad's dressing features a favorite flavor combo of mine, orange and oregano. The pasta is tossed with the sweet-tangy dressing, bitter red greens, and onions. It may not be for everyone but it's definitely for me.

SERVES 4

Heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until caramelized and sweet, about 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Stir the brown sugar and a splash of water into the onions, then add the mustard, combine, and turn off the heat.

Using your hands, combine the meat with the garlic, Worcestershire, parsley, and salt and pepper and mix well. Form the mixture into 4 patties, making them thinner at the center and thicker at the edges for even cooking. Cook the patties for 8 minutes, turning once, for medium doneness, 1 to 2 minutes less for rare, or 1 to 2 minutes more for medium-well done. In the last minute of cooking time, top the burgers with a few slices of the cheese.

Serve the burgers on the buns topped with some arugula and mustard-glazed onions.

SERVES 4

Bring water to a boil, salt it and cook pasta to al dente.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade, oregano, mustard and vinegar. Stream the EVOO into dressing while whisking and season dressing with salt and pepper. Pull off 8 of the outer leaves of radicchio. Form serving cups for the pasta salad out of the leaves using 2 leaves to form each bowl. Chop the remaining radicchio. Toss the radicchio and pasta and onions with the dressing to combine. Serve in the lettuce bowls.

If you love cheesesteaks but don't live near a good Philly steak stand, here's the Joe for you! This one is a real winner wherever you live, but I think even Philly natives will approve.

SERVES 4

Heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the hot pan and brown it for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Add the chopped onion and season the onions and meat with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are tender, 5 to 6 minutes more. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, bring the mixture up to a bubble, and cook for 2 minutes more.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet or pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and let it come up to a bubble. Add the cheese, stirring in a figure-eight pattern, then turn off the heat.

Toss the lettuce with the diced salami, tomatoes, hot peppers and dress with a couple tablespoons vinegar and the remaining 3 tablespoons EVOO, season with salt and pepper.

Serve sloppy meat on the roll bottoms and top with ¼ of the super thick provolone cheese sauce, set roll top in place. Serve the salad alongside.

My friend Janet Annino asked if I could turn a Cobb salad into a burger. Here's my best shot at putting a few of her favorite things on a bun.

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Place the potato wedges on a rimmed baking sheet and dress them with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO—eyeball it. Season the potatoes liberally with grill seasoning. Roast the fries until very crispy, 45 to 50 minutes, turning once.

Place the bacon on a slotted pan or rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and cool.

While the potatoes are roasting, combine the blue cheese, sour cream, chives, hot sauce, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and process until almost smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl.

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and chop the tomatoes.

Place the turkey in a mixing bowl and season with grill seasoning. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and parsley to the bowl and combine well, using your hands.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small bit of the meat mixture—a patty the size of a quarter—and cook for a minute on each side; taste the mini burger and adjust the seasonings as needed. Form the rest of the mixture into 4 large patties, making them thinner at the center and thicker at the edges to prevent burger bulge. Cook the burgers for 6 to 7 minutes on each side.

Slice the avocado thin and dress with the juice of the lime and some salt.

Place the burgers on the English muffin bottoms and top with the sliced avocado, sliced eggs, pickles, and red onions. Slather blue cheese dressing on the muffin tops and set atop the burgers. Spoon any extra blue cheese dressing over the potatoes on the side.

When I was a kid my mom made a great rarebit, a tangy cheese sauce made from porter or stout, egg, mustard, and hot sauce. Mom always poured her sauce over toasted pumpernickel, sprinkled it with bacon bits, and served it with sliced tomatoes.

SERVES 4