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Jul 25

5 Ways to Cook a Burger

Our country is burger obsessed. According to Eric Schlosser’s book, Fast Food Nation, American’s eat about 13 billion hamburgers per year while spending over 130 billion dollars on fast food. While we don’t think the burger craze is going away anytime soon, you can take the “junk” out of your food by making more of those burgers at home. Always start with fresh, top-quality, natural ingredients, like our Kobe-Style Wagyu Ground Beef then choose from one of our five favorite cooking methods below, for perfect burgers every time.

Chef’s note: Hamburger patties cook relatively fast so you should have your burger mise en place ready before the meat hits the heat.

Pan-fry it!
Pan-frying is a great method for cooking burgers using minimal time while achieving maximum flavor. A super hot, dry skillet allows the burger to quickly develop a flavorful outer crust without overcooking the interior, keeping the center juicy.

No special equipment is needed, just a shallow fry pan or skillet, large enough to hold all of your patties without crowding and a wide spatula for gentle turning. A spatter screen is recommended but not mandatory.

Start by turning on your exhaust fan then preheat a dry pan over maximum flame until just smoking. The patty should make a sharp sizzle sound when it hits the surface. Now here’s the hard part… don’t touch it! Let the patty develop a nice sear without poking, nudging or squishing! When ready, the burger should be gently turned, just once. After your desired temperature is achieved, gingerly remove the patty and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, right on the bottom bun. The moisture will redistribute evenly throughout the burger and if you do lose any juice, the bun will soak it up.

Smash it!
The smashed burger technique was pioneered in the high-volume greasy-spoons and hamburger stands of the 1920s and 30s. Without having to hand-form patties, smashed burgers saved prep time as several golf-ball sized hunks of ground meat could be thrown onto a flattop griddle at once. Flattening a ball of ground beef on sizzling griddle resulted in a fully caramelized crust over the entire surface area.

To make classic smashed burgers at home, you need a cast-iron or other heavy-duty griddle or an extra-large skillet and a stiff spatula, preferable with a solid surface, not slatted.

Start by turning on your exhaust fan and preheating your griddle. The surface should be nearly smoking and water droplets should dance on the surface. Gently form golf-ball sized hunks of ground beef being careful not to handle it too much then season with coarse salt. Lay the balls gently onto the skillet leaving plenty of space between them. Cook for one minute, then turn the balls over and smash down firmly and evenly with your spatula to create very thin patties. Cook for another minute then flip again, top with cheese if you like and cook for about another minute before sliding onto buns.

Steam it!
Steamed hamburgers are a Northeast regional specialty, served up in luncheonettes and slider shacks since the 1940s. The patties are essentially steamed over a bed of onions on a griddle or cooked vertically in an old-fashioned steamer box. We recommend the former onion-steamed technique for the home cook.

All you need to make soft, steamed burgers or sliders at home is a cast-iron griddle or wide, shallow skillet and a spatula.

Preheat your griddle on medium-high. Place balls of seasoned ground meat onto the griddle and flatten into a patty with your spatula. Place a generous pile of thinly sliced raw onion on top. Cook for about a minute, depending on size. Carefully flip the patty over on top of the onions. Now is the time to add a slice of cheese if desired. Stack the buns on top of the patty, top bun first then bottom bun. This traps steam allowing the patty to cook through and softening the bread. When the burger is done the whole stack is lifted from the griddle and the bottom half of the bun is placed on the bottom of the patty. The result is a burger that despite being completely cooked through is soft, moist and fragrant with onion, on a pillow soft bun.

Broil it!
Broiling is a super easy technique for cooking burgers at home. The intense, direct heat gives the meat a flavorful crust on the outside while sealing in juices. As a bonus, if you use a proper broiling pan, the extra fat will drip away from the meat.

Use of a broiling pan or lipped sheet tray is ideal when broiling hamburgers. Don’t forget the spatula!

Set your oven rack in the top position and preheat your broiler to its highest setting. When forming your patties for broiling (or grilling) it’s important to make a dimple or imprint in the center. When exposed to direct heat not only from below or above but also on its sides, the edges of the patty shrink, cinching the burger and compressing its interior up and out. A simplesmoosh with your fingers remedies this. Next, season your patties, place on the broiling pan. In the oven, the tops of patties should be positioned 3 to 4 inches below the heating elements or flame. Broil for 3 minutes until the top is well browned then flip patties and continue to broil until your burgers reach desired temperature.

Char-Grill it!
A smoky charcoal grilled burger is an American summer staple and heaven for a carnivore. With a little practice, perfect grilled burgers can be yours.

Besides the grill itself, you’ll need charcoal (we recommend natural lump charcoal), vegetable oil for oiling the grate and a metal spatula. A chimney starter, wood chips and meat thermometer are optional items but very useful.

Always start with clean grates. Preheat to high and oil the grates using a folded paper towel held with tongs. A good way gauge if your grill is ready (once your flame has died down and coals have ashed) is to hold your palm about 6 inches above the cooking grate – if you can stand it for no more than 2 seconds, it’s high heat. When forming your patties for the grill, be sure to employ the dimple technique described above. Generously season patties on both sides then place on the grill. Don’t even think about squishing the burgers down or poking at them. Your burger’s juices will end up on the coals not in the patty. Excess fat will drip down during cooking and may cause flare-ups. Covering the grill with the lid for a second or using a spray bottle of water will help. Flip once during cooking and cook to desired doneness – think 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Jul 24

Read Between the Buns!

Ah, burgers! One of our favorite subjects. It just so happens we’ve got everything you need for killer burgers on sale right now! And in honor of our summer burger promo, we thought we’d give you some of our favorite burger tips, tricks and recipes. Today we’re starting with the basics – perfecting the patty.

No matter which type of meat you start with or how you dare to dress it up, at the heart of every hamburger lies the patty. The best burgers have a fully caramelized crust over the entire patty surface area but are juicy, moist and gently cooked at the center.

Meat
When choosing the blend for your burgers, balance of fat is the key. Too lean and your burger will be dry and bland, while the more fat it contains, the more the patty will shrink when cooking. A patty containing 30% fat can shrink by as much as 25%, leaving you with a diminutive dinner. We prefer an 80/20 blend of ground beef for burgers, like in our Kobe-Style Wagyu Ground Beef. 80/20 burgers stay moist and juicy without losing too much volume.

Form
Overworking your ground beef will put you on the fast track to dry, dense burgers. When forming patties, it’s a good idea to wet or oil your hands slightly to keep the meat from sticking to your fingers and ensure you’re handling it as little as possible. Separate the beef into portions sizes then gently but quickly form into patty shapes about ½ – ¾ inch uniform thickness, and about ½ inch larger than the diameter of your bun to allow for some shrinkage. Intense, direct heat cooking like grilling or broiling will cause patties to seize up and bulge in the center. To prevent this, gently make dimple (about 1½ inches in dia.) in the middle of each patty before cooking.

Seasoning
We think the quality and flavor of the meat should be the star so we like to keep the seasoning simple. A generous sprinkling of coarse kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper are all you need but if you want to spice it up, a generous pinch of Porcini Powder or piment d’Espelette will give an extra layer of flavor without overpowering. Always season after the patties are formed, right before cooking to prevent the salt from drying the meat out.

Sear
There are many ways to cook a burger, but no matter which method you choose, there are a few simple rules to ensure the best results. The first rule is: don’t touch it! Once you’ve gently placed your patty on the cooking surface leave it alone so the meat has time to develop the crust. If you try to turn it too early the burger will stick or fall apart. The secret is to flip the burger the second it releases from the surface. Next, turn the patty only once and never press on the patty with the spatula. Pressing will force juices out, resulting in a dry burger. Finally, don’t poke or cut into the patty to check for doneness. Piercing the crust before the meat has rested will result in all of the delicious juices running out. And there will be residual cooking even after you’ve removed it from the heat.

Rest
As with all meats, when using direct heat cooking methods, your hamburger patties will need to rest after cooking for the juices to redistribute evenly. Gently remove them from the heat source and allow them to rest for a few minutes on a clean cutting board or platter. Remember to never use the same surface that came into contact with the raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.

Jul 23

The Hot Dog Gets Its Day

With Independence Day accounting for the consumption of 155 million hot dogs alone, it only makes sense that July is National Hot Dog Month. Then there’s a day dedicated to the wiener, but there is some contention over which day exactly. But it’s certainly between July 19 and July 23. Whatever the case (sorry, pun not intended), we are happy to celebrate the sausage heard round the world.

Like the hamburger, America’s other favorite meat in a bun; the history of the hot dog goes back to Germany. But it was at an American baseball game in 1901 that the dachshund sausage was first crammed into a roll. Or it could have been in the 1870s at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, NY at the first Nathan’s. While the origins are murky, passions for our national link sandwich run high, with condiments and dressings reflecting regional tastes.

In June of 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously served hot dogs to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on the porch at his estate at Hyde Park, NY. When the queen was puzzled over how to eat them, Roosevelt explained: “Very simple. Push it into your mouth and keep pushing it until it is all gone.”  The New York Times reported on the front page that the King asked for a second hot dog after enjoying his first, and washed them down with beer. The hot dog had arrived as an iconic American food.

Nowadays, the hot dog has gone haute, along with the food trucks that often sell them.  Whether made of duck, buffalo, wagyu beef or alligator meat, and topped with foie gras, homemade pickles, hot peppers, chili, or sauerkraut, the mysterious appeal of the hot dog has endured.

Doug Sohn, proprietor of Hot Doug’s, The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium, and arguably the real-life sausage king of Chicago perhaps said it best: “There are no two finer words in the English language than ‘encased meats,’ my friend.”

So Happy National Hot Dog Day! Go get yourself a dog….

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Jul 22

All About Quail

Quail is a collective name for several genera of small, plump birds in the pheasant family. Species or subspecies of the genus Coturnix are native to all continents except the Americas.

The Pharaoh, or Coturnix coturnix, quail are of Eurasian stock (found in Asia, Africa and Europe), and are migratory upland birds that travel in large bevies of up to a hundred. The small birds are physically unable to fly long distances. Instead, they shoot forth in a straight line at low altitudes, leaping from one stopping point to the next, crossing arid wasteland, rivers, or swamps. Often they exhaust themselves in the process, dropping to the ground virtually unable to move. From a hunter’s perspective, their straight flight and easy fatigue make them simple prey.

This behavior gives rise to the belief that it was hordes of the common quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica), called selav, or “plump one,” in Hebrew, that saved the Israelites wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. Was this the God-sent miracle or manna mentioned in Exodus and Numbers? The birds certainly could have been traveling in their annual migration. As late as the turn of the last century, Egyptian bird catchers still exported more than 2 million quail a year to European chefs.

European, Japanese, and rain quail of southern Asia belong to the same family, Phasianidae, of the order of Galliformes. They are classified as Coturnix. Wild quail are not the same breed, although they are Galliformes.

When early settlers arrived in what is now the northeastern United States, they encountered birds about the same size and coloring as the quail they had known in the Old World, and misnamed them. To complicate matters, the bobwhite quail (so called for the male’s loud whistle) was known as a partridge in the South. Among quail found in America are the bobwhite, Gambel’s quail, mountain quail, and Montezuma quail.

Though technically a game bird, quail that is available in stores will always be from a quail farm. If you want wild quail, you’ll have to hunt it yourself. Over the last 25 years, farmed quail has become more widely available in the United States. It was not always so. When Ariane Daguin founded D’Artagnan in 1985 quail were harder to find, and usually ended up at white-tablecloth restaurants. But thankfully, today quail is being prepared in many home kitchens.

Cooking
Few game birds are as versatile, simple to cook, and easy to enjoy as quail. These plump, juicy birds should be the basis for “Game 101,” because they make everyone – from novices to professionals – look like a champion. Grilled, broiled, or sautéed, they’re almost impossible to ruin. The medium-dark flesh has a mildly gamey flavor that readily takes to being marinated, stuffed, or highly seasoned. They are small, so allow one quail per person for an hors d’oeuvre, and at least 2per person for an entrée. Because they are lean, they need to be cooked quickly over high heat and served medium rare to retain their moisture and flavor.

 

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS: 

Grecian Quail on the Grill
Quail with Artichokes Vinaigrette
Quail in Beet, Apricot and Tomato Chutney

Jul 10

Vive la France!! Celebrate Bastille Day with us!

Ariane, along with Andy – our President, and Pierre – our VP of Sales NYC, are shining up their boules for Cercle Rouge’s annual Bastille Day petanque tournament. If you’re in the NYC area, come on down and join in the fun this Thursday, July 12th. There will be live music, petanque,  plenty of pastis and grilled merguez. Hope to see you there!

Jul 6

1 Comment

Happy National Fried Chicken Day!

Crispy, crunchy, juicy, tender!

Fried chicken is American comfort food at its best. It’s also a hotly debated topic: pan-fried or deep-fried, flour dredge or cornmeal crust, buttermilk or brine, peanut oil or duck fat?

Whichever method and ingredients you prefer, we can think of no better day to cook up a big batch than National Fried Chicken Day.

Here’s one of our favorite recipes! It’s the version Chef Thomas Keller serves at Ad Hoc, and it’s got a cult-following. And check out our handy how-to on making perfect pan-fried chicken. Bon appetit!

Jul 5

Duckspotting @ Oceana, New York City

Duckspotting is snapping & sending in pics of dishes from your favorite restaurants, made with D’Artagnan ingredients! We supply restaurants all over the country & love to see what creative chefs are doing with our products. Keep sending them in!

Oyster-Stuffed D’Artagnan Quail

Where: Oceana

What: Executive Chef Ben Pollinger’s Oyster stuffed Quail with Roasted Corn, Trumpet Royales and Buttermilk-Corn Sauce

Oceana is celebrating the spirit of New Orleans with a special tasting menu all this month. Guests are loving Executive Chef Ben Pollinger‘s NOLA inspired dishes, like Blackened Louisiana Shrimp with mirliton salad, hot sauce vinaigrette; Gulf Red Snapper with pecan crust, bell peppers, summer squash and the quail dish pictured above. The popular six course tasting runs $95/$145 with wine pairing and is just one of the cool events Oceana has planned for the summer.

How: Oceana Retaurant is @ 120 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10020  |   for reservations click here or call (212) 759-5941

Dining out & spot some fabulous dishes made with D’Artagnan ingredients? Snap a pic & email with the details to alishah@dartagnan.com We’ll give you & the restaurant a shout out!

Jul 5

The Chanterelle Mushroom

Cantherellus cibarius, the golden chanterelle, grows on forest floors, often near conifers, deciduous trees, but also in fields, beginning in July and ending as late as January. The genusCantharellus, named for the Greek kantharos, meaning cup, is a mushroom found growing wild throughout the world. Efforts to cultivate these mycorrhizal fungi have failed, because it is impossible to recreate the complex symbiotic relationship they have with host plants.

While the shape can vary, from the young chanterelle with a small, rounded cap to the mature mushroom with a flower-like, unfurled cap, the color is distinctive. The beautiful golden-orange cap with a goblet shape is easily spotted on the forest floor; though there are some toxic lookalikes. The jack-o-lantern mushroom is also orange in color, but is found growing in clumps, which chanterelles never do, having a gregarious growth habit (that is, singly, but clustered near each other).

The chanterelle has firm, meaty flesh and an ethereal fruity, apricot aroma and flavor, though these grow fainter as the mushroom ages. The texture also varies with size and age. When young, buttons are firm, but the larger they grow, the more fragile the flesh becomes. Brown or frayed edges of the cap indicate drying and that the flavor is dissipated.

Seared Scallops with Creamed Leeks and Chanterelles by Chef Philip McGrath

Chanterelle stems are solid, not hollow, and the surface of the mushroom is smooth. Flesh ranges in color from white to pale yellow. The underside of the cap has false gills–rounded gill-like ridges that branch irregularly and run down the stem—which is one of its identifying features. Chanterelles contain beta carotene and vitamin D & B as well as the minerals potassium, copper and selenium.

Consumed and relished around the world, the chanterelle is known in Italy as girolle and in Germany as pfifferling, and is one of the most prized mushrooms in culinary circles. In fact, Elias Fries, a 19th century Swedish mycologist, declared the chanterelle to be “one of the most important and best edible mushrooms.”

Chef Ed Brown’s Chicken with Chanterelles and Brussels Sprouts cooked in Duck Fat”

Cleaning
Wild mushrooms can present a challenge to clean. The chanterelle cap folds tightly and has crevices that collect debris, from pine needles to bugs and dirt. The caps will grow around twigs, so it might be necessary to cut out sections of mushroom that have embedded sticks. Cut off the foot of the mushroom stem where dirt tends to clump.

Use ice cold water to rinse chanterelles, but wash quickly and dry thoroughly. Or use a dry toothbrush or a mushroom brush to remove surface dirt and sand. Brush the false gills under running water, or cut them out entirely if they are filled with dirt. Drain on paper towels to remove any moisture. The time taken in the cleaning process is rewarded when you don’t have to spit out debris later.

Cooking
For such an ethereal looking mushroom, the flavor of the chanterelle is powerful. The golden chanterelle has apricot nuances and a slightly peppery punch that pair well with cream and butter. And it’s hard to mask the flavor, even with cheese, which makes them an ideal wild edible for all kinds of cooking. Chanterelles complement pork, chicken, rabbit, veal and quail, either in a stuffing or with a sauce.

A simple sauté with olive oil and shallots will allow you to experience the full flavor of this extraordinary mushroom. Use chanterelles anywhere you would use a mushroom: on a burger, in risotto, quiche, in a white wine sauce, or simply sautéed with butter and fresh herbs. Many believe this mushroom needs little more than a generous amount of butter and some salt and pepper.

Chanterelles and pasta make a natural pair, as do eggs and chanterelles. Chanterelle mushrooms will add depth to stews and can be miraculous with scallops or shellfish.

Dried Chanterelles are available year-round at D’Artagnan.com

Preserving
Chanterelles are suitable for drying and maintain their aroma and flavor well, though the texture is entirely altered, tending to be chewy. Dried chanterelles can be pulverized into flour and used as a seasoning in soups and sauces, especially creamy ones.

NOTE: Do not eat mushrooms you have found in the wild unless they are identified by a mushroom expert as100% safe.


RECIPE SUGGESTIONS:
Rabbit, Foie Gras and Chanterelle Terrine
Pappardelle with Rabbit, Porcini and Parmesan

Jun 28

Duckspotting @ Sycamore, Lansdowne, PA

Duckspotting is snapping & sending in pics of dishes, from your favorite restaurants, made with D’Artagnan ingredients! We supply restaurants all over the country & love to see what creative chefs are doing with our products. Keep sending them in!

This photo was sent in via Twitter – we love when that happens!

Foie Gras, Lavendar Biscuit, Kumquat Marmalade, Pickled Strawberries

Our Hudson Valley Foie Gras in a lovely dish that screams summer!

Where: Sycamore Restaurant

What: Chef Sam Jacobson‘s Seared Foie Gras, Lavender Biscuit, Kumquat Marmalade, Pickled Strawberries

How: Sycamore is at 14 S. Lansdowne Ave, Lansdowne, PA 19050  |   for reservations click here or call (484)461-2867

Sycamore serves a $50 chef tasting menu every Tuesday. And just this week Chef Jacobson and his team opened another restaurant – NoBL – that serves “Mediterranean-inspired casual fare” and is BYOB. (Love that!) Check it out here.

Dining out & spot some fabulous dishes made with D’Artagnan ingredients? Snap a pic & email with the details to alishah@dartagnan.com We’ll give you & the restaurant a shout out.

Jun 22

YES CHEF! Now do your homework.

NBC Nightly News aired an interesting story this week about Flynn McGarry. While most 13 year old boys are pining over girls, worrying about pimples or playing hours of nintendo, young Flynn is donning an apron, mastering his brunoise and upping his sous vide game. Flynn is a 13 year old aspiring chef in Los Angeles whose passion for cooking is so great he actually turned his bedroom into a professional kitchen. We kid you not. Young Flynn also hosts a monthly underground dinner in his parent’s house and recently manned the stoves for a special pop-up at LA eatery, Playa. “Chef” McGarry served a seasonal 9-course meal to a sold out house. We’re curious to see what this budding toque does next. Check out the NBC video and Flynn’s website here.

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