Roof-Top Burgers

See the Freedom Tower?

Some of you may know and some of you may not know so now all of you can know that I live in New York City - Manhattan to be precise and with that comes a lot of advantages and a lot of disadvantages. I won't even go into all the perks to living here but I will dive right into the non-perks. Non perk number one is I don't have a yard and without a yard that could make grilling outdoors a challenge. 

I keep it chained up - New York City - its a jungle out there.

I have embraced that challenge and I grill on my roof top. I have been doing this for years now but last September the wonderfull people at Char-Broil asked me to be a Char-Broil All-Star and with that I received a fantastic Grill(that I have to keep locked so that no one steals the tank) and my rooftop experience has improved dramatically. I used to use a little portable propane grill or little charcoal grills and while those did the job they didn't get as hot or offer as much cooking surface so I had to do things in batches. Now with my InfraRed Quantum I am in grilling nirvana.

The stairs

Ok, you are wondering, whats the whole process like because you just walk outside to your deck or yard or whatever and you grill then you walk right back inside and Bob's your Uncle. Well I don't do too much different than that except I walk up two flights of stairs, I live on the 5th floor and the grill is on the roof of my 6 story building. What does that mean in everyday terms? Right above me is one more floor with apartments but above that is the roof, so I am not too far away.

Grind it twice

Where I cook it isn't nearly as important as what I am cooking, though. I am a labor intensive sort of guy when it comes to cooking, I like the process so it would only seem natural that I would grind my own meat for burgers, now wouldn't it. I get some chuck and I chop it up, I toss on some Memphis rub and I toss in a scallion and some garlic cloves then I run it through the grinder twice.

Burgers are like little soldiers they like to be uniform

Making the patties is just as crucial as everything else, I want them all to be the same so I use a ring mold and some plastic wrap to make sure that each and every little burger is just like the burger before it and just like the burger after. When all the burgers I am going to make are made then I press them down just a tiny little bit so that they will go from edge to edge of the bun.

Cant beat the view

All thats left now is to put them on the hottest part of your grill and take in the scenery.

Its like Margaritaville up here

Sometimes I cart the whole shebang upstairs and we enjoy them at the patio table but most often I just come back inside and we eat them at the kitchen table.

Hard to find a better burger - thats all I have to say! There you have it - grilling on a roof-top.

Healthy Probiotic Rich Yogurt Dessert *

 Bacteria have the unfortunate reputation of only causing disease. While there may be some truth to this, there is such a thing as ‘good’ bacteria. As a matter of fact, there’s a growing body of evidence which shows that certain kinds of live bacteria in foods can treat or even prevent many illnesses. For example, it’s commonly known that women that eat yogurt regularly are less likely to suffer from yeast infection. Consuming yogurt, which contains the bacteria already present in the digestive system, can help to maintain the healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, and aid in warding off upset stomachs, headaches, and even anxiety. You’ll find this ‘good’ bacterium in many different kinds of yogurt, often labeled probiotic.

Most of us are of the mind that if it’s good for you, it probably doesn’t taste very good. If you have children, you probably face this problem day in and day out. A child (and some adults, for that matter) doesn’t care or understand that putting a healthy amount of yogurt into the diet can help to ease lactose intolerance, reduce the negative effects of taking antibiotics, and even help ward off eczema. For those stubborn eaters in your life, there’s wide variety delicious yogurt recipes that not only provide the benefits of probiotics, but are enjoyable to eat.

Rather than ice cream for dessert, try this simple Yogurt Sundae. It’s sure to be a hit with kid and adult alike:

What You’ll Need:

• Microwave
• Microwave safe bowls
• Sundae dish or serving bowl

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of frozen berries
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp margarine
• 3 tbsp low-fat milk or cream
• 1 8 ounce container of vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. If berries are frozen, put berries in microwave safe bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Microwave until thawed.
2. Put the chocolate chips and margarine in a microwave safe bowl and cook until melted. Use a fork to stir until smooth and creamy, and then stir in the milk or cream until incorporated. Set aside.
3. Heap the yogurt into the sundae dish or bowl. Spoon fruit over top.
4. Pour on the chocolate sauce and then sprinkle with nuts.

Simply multiply the ingredients of this recipe to make more servings, and in less than 10 minutes, you have a delicious dessert. The best part is that your family probably won’t know that it’s healthy for them.

*I received compensation for this post

Guest Post: Halibut with Cannellini Beans from Ciao Chow Linda

A while back I had asked for some guest posts and my lovely friend Linda from the blog Ciao Chow Linda has been gracious enough to bestow one upon me. I have been reading Linda's blog for years now and she never fails to delight with her travels and with her recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do.

One of my favorite fish is halibut. It's got a delicate, sweet flavor, firm white flesh, and marries well with all kinds of flavors. Even people who claim to hate fish may be won over once they taste this largest of all the flat fish. 

Did you know that halibut can grow to more than 8 feet long and weigh as much as 700 pounds? Take a look at the largest Alaskan halibut ever caught by sport fishermen, weighing in at 459 pounds. Imagine cleaning that whopper.  Most of the halibut we eat here in North America comes from the Gulf of Alaska. While on a trip there a couple of years ago, I ate my fair share of halibut, but here in New Jersey, the price keeps me from enjoying it as much as I'd like. So when it went on sale last week at my market, I couldn't resist.

This recipe is a one-dish meal that's simple to make, tastes great and is low-cal too. If you can't find fresh halibut, or want something less expensive, codfish can easily be substituted. The recipe is for two portions, although the accompanying photo shows just one portion served in a small casserole.

Halibut with Cannellini Beans

for two people:

halibut - between 3/4 and 1 lb., skin removed

6 scallions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. olive oil

1 can cannellini beans (about 15 ounce can), drained and rinsed

1 can chopped tomatoes (about 15 ounce can)

1/4 cup dry white wine

salt, pepper to taste

fresh basil

Saute the scallions and onions in the olive oil until softened. Add the tomatoes and liquid from the can and cook for a few minutes, smashing the tomatoes a bit with a fork. Add the white wine, the cannellini beans, salt, pepper and shredded fresh basil. Simmer for about five minutes, then add the fish. Put a lid on the skillet, then let everything cook together for about five more minutes. That will be long enough to cook the fish. Garnish with more fresh basil and serve.

Use your Grill Like a Condiment - it Adds Layers and Layers of Flavor!

This is a post I did for Char-Broil that first appeared here November 16, 2011.

For me the best tasting things have layers and layers of flavors and I am not talking about a muddled jumble of tastes I am talking about clean and distinct flavors. One way to add one more layer of flavor is with your grill. Yes thats right your grill. Who can deny that unique smokiness adds an element that cant be beat.

Faced with some big fat duck breasts and my need for flavor I instantly knew the grill was going enhance my final dish. Once the fat from these breasts hits the grill and that smoky sizzle starts to happen you are already on the flavor train.

Nicely seared duck breasts then get roasted until they reach an internal temp of 120 degrees F allowed to rest then they are chopped up, fat and all and placed into a terrine to simmer in a water bath for another 45 minutes.

After their little cooking water bath they are allowed to cool then I added a bit of gelatine and they are cooled over night, when they are done they look like this.

At this point you can use the duck terrine as an appetizer.

Or you can make larger portions and serve it as a salad or a first course. Whats my point here? My point is the next time you want to add a little more flavor with out adding more seasonings think of your grill, you have a huge and distinct flavor profile waiting to grace your dishes - even dishes that dont seem like BBQ, not one little bit.

Product Review: A while back I received a faucet

How many are you are familiar with the online shop(s) on Wayfair? Well if you are not then you need to be. They have everything and a little bit more.

Back around December or so I picked out a Moen Faucet from their huge selection. I chose this faucet because it fit in my price range and it was big enough and small enough for my New York City kitchen.

I have been waiting to review it till I had a chance to really use it and I can tell you now, I have had that chance. I love this faucet.

It has a retractable hose, nozzle, sprayer and that feature alone was and is the major selling point. I used to have an antique and tall arching faucet so that I could fill large pots, well with the retractable nozzle I can fill up buckets on the floor if I need to! Don't hesitate to check out the site, Wayfair has a lot to offer.