Know Your Fire: Asian-Style Tuna Burger

Hamburger is the most popular food for the grill, followed by steak and chicken. Did you know — one out of every five times Americans fire-up the grill, it's to cook a hamburger? A burger does not have to be all beef. The solution, try a meaty tuna burger. It's delicious, lean, and good for you too. Top of with wasabi dressing and you are off to a hot start for the weekend. 

George's Tuna Burger

Makes 4 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna, either yellowfin, blue, or ahi

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 marinade recipe

4 soft burger buns such as whole grain, brioche or potato bun

Toppings: boston lettuce, sliced cukes & tomatoes

For Asian Style Marinade

Makes 1 cup

2 fresh limes

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

2 Tablespoons ginger, chopped fine

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, chopped

Cut the zest from the limes. Place the limes on a cutting board and firmly roll them back and forth with the palm of your hand to loosen the juice. Cut the limes in half and squeeze out the juice. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice with the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Cut the tuna into 1-inch pieces and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Using an on-off motion, grind the tuna for 45 to 60 seconds, or until it is chopped but not pureed. Over processing the tuna will make it warm.

Transfer the tuna to a bowl, stir in the egg whites, and mix well. Add the cilantro, lime zest, hot sauce and mustard. Blend well. Shape the tuna mixture into four burgers. Place them in the marinade and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

Place the burgers on a preheated hot grill and cook them 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until rare or medium rare. Over cooking the burgers will dry them out. Place the burgers on a bun and serve with wasabi dressing & toppings.

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All Tossed

With spring’s arrival, I'm inspired to toss up a fresh seasonal salad. Now is the time to really enjoy spring greens when they are sweet and at their peak; later in summer the flavors tend to bitter a bit with the heat. Whether you are preparing salad for two or planning your Mother's Day brunch, here are few tips + recipes to make plating up your spring salad even better.

Be sure to do the prep with your delicate spring lettuce; submerge leaves in cold water repeatedly until there is no evidence of soil or sand. Then give those leaves a good spin, so your homemade vinaigrette will easily coat your leaves. Wet leaves repell the dressing.

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Good Stuff Pick - OXO Salad Spinner

George's Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Makes 2 1/2 cups | Know Your Fire Cookbook

1 Tablespoons chives

1 tsp chopped parsley

1 tsp capers or chopped green olives

1/2 tsp lite soy sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Roquefort or Stilton

1 recipe Basic Vinaigette (recipe to follow)

Combine the chives, parsley,capers or olives, and lite soy sauce with the cream and half the cheese and blend well. Add the vinaigrette and stir in the remaining cheese. Let the dressing stand at room temperature for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.

George's Basic Vinaigrette

Makes 2 cups | Know Your Fire Cookbook

"Use whichever vinegar appeals to you: If using balsamic, cut the amount in half." 

1 1/4 cups virgin olive oil

3/4 cups vinegar

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and beat with a fork or a whisk to blend. Or place the ingredients in a jar with a tightly fitting lid and shake until they're well blended.

Allow the dressing to sit at room temperature for 24 hours to develop the flavor.

There are four main kinds of lettuce to choose from: Butterhead (Bibb), Crisphead (Iceberg), Looseleaf (Cutting) and Romaine. 

Looseleaf

Looseleaf lettuce make colorful tender leaf salads in chartreuse, deep green and bronzy reds. 

Crisphead

Crisphead lettuce contain curved, overlapping leaves which form crispy, firm round heads. Inside, creamy white leaves are tightly packed. Deep green outer leaves are delicious too.

Romaine

Romaine lettuce contain elongated, thick leaves which are crisp and savory.

Butterhead

Butterhead lettuce is the largest and best-flavored group of lettuces. Tender leaf lettuces form a tightly folded head with delicate buttery flavor. Typically smaller heads than other types. 

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keeping peace with Irish Coffee

I had an enjoyable afternoon tea with fellow Create TV host and Ireland’s TV chef, cookbook author Rachael Allen of Ballymaloe. Rachel and I exchanged our foodie stories and the like beginnings in our culinary careers. She shared with me her simplistic approach to food. I can't agree more. We agree that most are learning from this approach; getting back to the roots of growing and eating locally grown foods. The thing is, this in nothing new in Ireland, in fact they never lost their connection to sustainability. 

Chefs Rachael Allen and George Hirsch, Adair Manor, Adair Co. Limerick, Ireland However, one topic of discussion is as serious as rugby or politics. I asked just about every person I meet in Ireland which brand of tea they preferred better, Lyons or Barry's. Barry's seemed to hold the lead during our filming. But then upon departure at Irish Customs I was told I was bringing home the wrong brand. They preferred Lyons. I can't be swayed, Barry's fan here.

So in keeping peace let’s drink Irish Coffee, a warming beverage on a chilly evening. Served first to arriving passengers in County Limerick, what is now Shannon International Airport. Ideal served with a slice of Chocolate Torta from George Hirsch Lifestyle. Sláinte! 

Irish Coffee

Makes one serving

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1 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey

1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream

1/2 cup hot strong coffee

Lemon wedge

Sugar to coat glass

Whipped cream

Prepare a sugar-rimmed glass by rubbing a piece of lemon or orange around the rim of a large wine glass. Dip 1/4 inch of the rim of the glass into a plate of sugar, coating the edge.

Place a teaspoon in glass. The spoon will diffuse the heat when hot coffee is poured into the glass. 

Add whiskey and Baileys. Pour coffee into glass over spoon. Remove spoon. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

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Lá Fhéile Pádraig

That's Gaelic for Saint Patrick's Day or St. Paddy's. It's one of those days of the year where we all wear green, feel a wee bit Irish and spread good cheer. In honor of the irish holiday; Pionta Guinness, le do thoil. Sláinte! That's, a pint of Guinness please and cheers!

Lamb Shanks an Potatoes

Makes four servings 

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4 whole lamb shanks
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup peas, frozen
1/4 cup celery, chopped
10 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups mashed potatoes

Preheat large saucepan.

Add olive oil and brown meat on all sides.  Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery and cook until light brown.  

Add vinegar and reduce for two minutes.  Add tomato sauce, broth, rosemary and thyme.  Cover and cook meat for two hours at a gentle simmer.  

The lamb shanks are fully cooked when the meat becomes flaky and shrinks away from the bone. Add peas to the lamb shanks and vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes longer.  

Serve the cooked Lamb Shanks with sauce and vegetables on top of hot, steamy smashed potatoes, go all out with my Mousseline Potatoes!

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Getting Ready For Colcannon

Ireland. Most of all I enjoyed the stories of pride from the local gardeners, chefs, and pub owners. You have to take time to listen to their stories. One such person was Val Manning from Ballylickey. Yet, another story that stayed with me was from third generation pub owner Mike Collins in Adare Village. He met me with a pint of Guinness and proclaimed with pride that we were the second US TV crew to stop into his pub. He said,"Last year Connan O'Brien sat in your very seat drinking a Guinness." Mike then shared with me pictures of three generations of family that has owned that same pub. Oh, and when you go to Collins' Pub you have order the Guinness Steak Pie.  

Sharing one more Irish tradition with Colcannon.

This comforting traditional Irish dish of potatoes and cabbage was more or less created from the plentiful supply of potatoes and cabbage, originating in 18th century Cork, Ireland. Colcannon is similar to the English's bubble and squeak, only the potatoes are mashed. The other key ingredients were fresh milk, freshly churned butter and onion. This is a good side dish that can be made easily with leftover potatoes and cabbage. Serve with smoked ham or corned beef.

Colcannon (potatoes with cabbage)

serves six-eight

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

2 pounds red skin potatoes, cut into large pieces

1 cup milk

6 Tablespoons butter

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

6 cups green cabbage, finely shredded

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Boil potatoes for about 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash potatoes with skins on, adding the milk.

While potatoes are cooking, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan and add onion; cook until translucent. Add the cabbage and cover; cook for at least 5 minutes or until desired tenderness. Combine cabbage and onion mixture into hot mashed potatoes. Season with fresh ground black pepper. Top each serving with a teaspoon of butter.

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