Bruschetta Burgers on Thick Garlic Toast

It's Friday, so we get to live a little! 

Actually, let's just say it's Friday, and we get to continue to live our lives how ever we want, hmm? And today that means thin, crispy burger patties piled too high with mozzarella, roasted red pepper, and balsamic tossed greens, and barely contained within two thick, fluffy slices of garlic-buttered texas toast.

I bet you left at "balsamic tossed greens" but I got you back with that "garlic-buttered texas toast" didn't I?

Trust me, you want the greens, to cut through the cheese and the butter. There's so much butter.

In truth, each of these burgers has two full tablespoons of butter slathered on the bread, probably enough to grease up that guy from Tonga, but it is so, so worth it. Because we deserve these, right? Because the news this week has just been horrendously depressing. Because Olympic figure skating is over, which means no more of Johnny Weir's Caesar Flickerman hair or Adam Rippon's explanations of witchcraft. Sometimes only butter makes it better. so make whatever devil's bargain you need to with your arteries and dive in.

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Bruschetta Burgers on Thick Garlic Toast

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tbs chopped parsley
• 1  tsp chopped fresh oregano
• dash of balsamic vinegar, plus more for greens
• 1 bell pepper, seeded 
• olive oil, for roasting and for greens
• good handful fresh basil
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella
• baby greens
• sea salt
• 8 slices texas toast
• 8 tbs good quality salted butter, softened
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tsp fresh minced parsley

1. In a large bowl, mix beef with salt, shallot, 1 tbs parsley, oregano and balsamic and form into thin patties, either 4 large patties or 8 small ones. Patties should be about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Set aside to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, assemble and prepare remaining burger components. Roast the red pepper: heat oven to 400 degrees, drizzle pepper with a little olive oil and roast on a parchment lined baking sheet until soft and charred, 20-30 minutes. Transfer pepper to a sealable plastic bag or wrap in foil to steam for about 10 minutes, then peel off skin. Cut into strips and set aside.
3. Tear basil into large pieces and slice mozzarella. Set both aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix baby greens with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss. Sprinkle with some sea salt and set aside.
5. In small bowl, mix butter, garlic, and 2 tsp parsley then spread liberally on both sides of each slice of bread.
6. Heat a skillet or griddle to medium high heat. Toast bread slices on each side until golden, then remove to serving plates. Cook beef patties about 2 minutes on each side, then remove from skillet and divide between plates. Place each patty (or 2, if making smaller ones) on a slice of toast, then pile with mozzarella, roasted tomato and greens. Top with remaining toast and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Piccata

Everybody is done with their diets, right? We are halfway through February so I'm assuming all good intentions have been discarded in the wake of Superbowl snacks and Valentine's candy. 

So I say we all welcome the humble cauliflower to the center of the table, to star as a virtuous main to nudge us a little closer to back on track. Not too virtuous though, there's butter in this, because we have to live a little.

It's strange, because I don't think I've ever eaten chicken piccata, but I've tried many meat-free versions, from tempeh to cauliflower, and I think the cauliflower is where the buttery, lemony sauce really shines (cauliflower really is a vehicle for flavor), and the salty bite of the capers really sings loud and clear. And if you pile the entire pan of steaming cauliflower and sauce atop a heap of peppery arugula, so that the the greens slightly wilt under the heat of the vegetables, then oh boy you have a treat. All you need is some cous cous or maybe some mashed potatoes alongside or underneath, and you've got a meal. 

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Cauliflower Piccata

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into thick slices
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• arugula, for serving
• 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbs butter and olive oil and add cauliflower. Cook on first side until starting to brown, then flip and brown other side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer cauliflower slices to a plate.
2. To the hot pan, add the broth, wine, lemon juice, and capers and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower back to the skilled and simmer until cooked through. Pile a serving platter with a good amount of arugula. Transfer the hot cauliflower to the platter and arrange atop the arugula (it's ok if the cauliflower begins to break apart a bit). 
3. Remove pan from heat and stir in the remaining butter. Pour sauce over cauliflower and arugula, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.

Sunday Supper: Bolognese Polenta Pizza

So, at first glance, you may be looking at this and wondering why it qualifies as a Sunday Supper, a category I've so far reserved for longer, time consuming recipes with multiple parts and ingredients. And you might see that I've layered baked polenta with meat sauce and cheese and then baked it, and think, "That's it?"

Or, maybe you are just blindly following whatever I say and not questioning, or just skimming the words here and only looking at the pictures. In that case, carry on.

But, if you are wondering, let me forewarn you that yes, this is a long, drawn out recipe, only because a true bolognese sauce takes a few hours at minimum, and you absolutely should take the time at least once in your life to make it from scratch. If you do skip that step and crack open a jar of Prego, well, then this easily qualifies as a weeknight meal. But then let me also keep  going with this and let you know that most bolognese recipes I've encountered make enough sauce to feed an Italian army of approximately 30 adults, so you will undoubtedly have enough leftovers to freeze and then reheat if you're ever like, yeah, polenta pizza sounds awesome! I made half a recipe's worth of the bolognese I chose, and it still took  up an entire large pot. It may take hours but you are well-rewarded in quantity, I assure you.

Ok, all justifications out of the way, this "pizza" of polenta piled with bolognese and cheese and then baked, is like the perfect pizza/casserole/baked pasta hybrid, with a crispy lid of cheese atop a molten sauce of ground meat and tomatoes, on a base of flavorful, creamy, crisp-edged polenta. It is filling and delicious and a perfect, cozy way to end a weekend. 

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Bolognese Polenta Pizza

• 1 tbs olive oil, plus more for polenta and for baking
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups polenta
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 2-3 cups bolognese (recipe of your choice, I used this one, subbing pork for veal)
• shredded mozzarella
• chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Make bolognese. Be sure to allow several hours for most recipes.
2. Grease a quarter sheet pan with 1 tbs olive oil and set aside.
3. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add a glug of olive oil. Whisk in the salt and polenta. Lower heat to low and whisk for 2-3 minutes. Cover, and stirring every 10 minutes or so, cook polenta until creamy, 30 minutes.
4. Remove polenta from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan. Spread polenta into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Let cool completely, then cover and chill 1 hour or overnight.
5. When ready to make pizza, heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush the polenta with 1/2 tbs olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crisp around the edges. Top with bolognese and then cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, and starts to form a bit of a crispy lid. Let sit for a few minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.