the arugula files

Elevation Burger: Grass Fed Cows and Diet Coke Options Galore

It's January.  Resolution time.  Cleanse time.  Winter citrus time.  Burger time?   Probably not, but, pssst, want to go get some burgers?  If you do, I highly recommend Elevation Burger.  The burgers are grass fed, ground on location, cooked on a griddle, dressed with real cheese, and tucked in your choice of a soft bun (690 calories) or crisp lettuce (550 calories).  There are diet coke options galore from a new age soda machine: cherry, vanilla, and many others that I can't remember.  Mandarin oranges (or french fries cooked in olive oil), on the side.

Halupki (Stuffed Napa Cabbage with Sweet and Sour Sauce)

Thanksgiving is over. 

Now it's time to plan for Christmas!  First comes the decor.  Have you decorated your tree yet?  Marcus and I are trying to figure out how to put up a tree and protect it from Josie.  All our beautiful glass ornaments. Disaster!

Then comes travel?  My family lives in Boston and Marcus' family lives on the eastern shore of Maryland.   With a one year old, we decided not to travel on the 25th, so this year, as a way to bring our family together, we are celebrating Marcus' boyhood tradition of Ukrainian Christmas on January 7.  Everyone is coming to our house.

I can't wait.  

I've already started planning the menu.    Stuffed cabbage, or halupki, as my husband calls it, can be delicious. Unfortunately, I've tried many bland versions as well.  The key, I think, is to heavily season the meat, and make a flavorful sauce.  

Uncle Sonny's Turkey Meatballs

As far as I'm concerned a meatball is the perfect food.  Delicious.  Versatile.  Convenient.  Make a batch and freeze them to pull out whenever a craving strikes.  Eat them on a sandwich or with pasta.   Or let them fly solo with a salad on the side.  Make them with beef, pork, or, as My Uncle Sonny makes them, with ground turkey.  Season them the Italian way or add Asian flavors.  

Wok Seared Lamb Lettuce Wraps, Or Over Rice (Plus, I Love Border Springs Farm)

Arugula Files is participating in the DC American Lamb Pro-Am. Thirteen local food bloggers received a boneless leg of lamb from Border Springs Farm and were challenged to prepare a great lamb dish for their readers. I'm happy to promote and recommend such a great, sustainable product.  As they say, "American Lamb is 10,000 miles fresher."  The best dishes will be presented at the American Pro-Lamb event on March 4.   Vote for my dish!

This is a recreation of a dish I once had at P.F. Changs that I quite enjoyed.  Yes, P.F. Changs, the chain restaurant.  The one with the absurdly big horse statue in the front.  Say no more.  

The dish is a simple stir fry, but the toasted sesame seeds and crispy iceberg lettuce make it special. Iceberg lettuce.  Wow, do I love thee. Iceberg lettuce has a bad (w)rap, largely attributable to its miscast role in the American salad, which is the last place it should be. People have called it the white bread of the produce aisle or likened it to red delicious apples.  Both apt comparisons.  But let's not be snobby about it.  I think iceberg lettuce deserves recognition as a topping in a stir fry or a wrap; that's where it earns an encore. Here, it's the perfect contrast to this deliciously greasy lamb.  The lamb.  Oh, let me tell you about lamb because its source makes me so happy.

Shepherd's Pie Pockets Made By Sangeetha

I'm on maternity leave for the next few months.  Unfortunately, we are still waiting for the car seat adapter to come for our stroller, so that I can use it for someone Josie's size---TINY.  Until it gets here, Josie and I are stuck in the house.  So we sat around listening to Neil Diamond, singing as loud as we could.   Then we popped these sheperd's pies in the oven and, BOOM, lunch was served. Hand held shepherd's pies.  Brilliant idea.  Made by my friend Sangeetha, not me.  Don't be foolish, I haven't cooked in ages.

I can't believe how wonderful my life is right now.  I don't even have to cook lunch.  My friends just drop off food.  I reheat it and eat it.  Then I go back to listening to Neil Diamond. 

BBQ Chicken and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

When it comes to chicken, I've always been a breast woman.  No dark meat for me.  No thank you.  My mind was recently opened when my friend Anne made me Ina Garten's Indonesian Chicken for dinner.  I loved it.  Turns out, I'm really a thigh woman, especially when it comes to chicken on the grill.  So I decided to try this recipe from Fine Cooking. This quick BBQ chicken is perfect for the weekend.  The rub and sauce can be prepared ahead of time, leaving you more time to hang out with friends.

Lovely and Crispy Carrot Salad with Indian Lamb

I really liked this dish.  The flavors are bright and it's filling without being heavy.  It's the first recipe I've cooked from Jamie At Home, Cook Your Way to the Good Life.  I'm really enjoying this cookbook.  It's my style of cooking: simple, seasonal, flavorful, and I can actually hear the voice of Jamie Oliver as I read the cooking instructions.  "Keep frying until the meat is lovely and crispy."  It's like he's in my kitchen. 

Grilled Flank Steak (Plus, Should You Include Acid in Your Marinade?)

Marinades are usually comprised of three components: acid, oil, and herbs.  Christopher Kimball says that you shouldn't include acid (orange juice, vinegar, etc) in your marinade mixture. His argument is that the acid breaks down the meat and leaves it too mushy.  I was willing to take him at his word until I started experimenting a few weeks ago.  One night, I grilled flank steak after marinating it for 24 hours in a mixture of rosemary, garlic, shallots, and olive oil. The recipe is here.  End result? It was good, but I thought the marinade flavor overwhelmed the meat.  Something was off.