Flying across the Pacific Ocean last month I was handed a neatly packaged tray of food. Its main course was a dry, crumbly roll the shape of a baseball with one thin piece of turkey and one limp piece of
Flying across the Pacific Ocean last month I was handed a neatly packaged tray of food. Its main course was a dry, crumbly roll the shape of a baseball with one thin piece of turkey and one limp piece of lettuce tucked dormant inside. I opened the cellophane wrapped brownie next to it and daydreamed about the dinner I would be eating when we landed — cooked by the person seated next to me.
That person was my brother, Charlie, and together we traveled to see our grandparents in Florida. During the plane ride, I read books, flipped through in-flight magazines and watched a movie on a five inch screen. Next to me, Charlie prepared grocery lists and dinner menus, hunched over his tray table scribbling ingredients, amounts and pairings as if deciphering a math theory.
Hours later on solid ground I sat on the screened-in lanai sipping a beverage while Papa told stories of alligators climbing up from the lake in front of the house. Charlie stood close by, leaning over the grill, with tongs and a platter of fresh Florida corn bathing in butter.
Due to the dizzying Florida heat (think Polihale, summer, no breeze and a damp blanket of humidity), Charlie prepared as many meals as possible outside on the grill, rather than stirring over the stove in the kitchen. The food theme of the week became simple and fresh, with finesse. I was knighted the role of ‘sous chef,’ whose duties included chopping, grating, pouring, husking, table-setting and dishes, so simple sounded good to me.
One of the best meals of the week was a sophisticated update of an old classic: Burgers and fries. Using turkey meat, chopped red onions, lemon zest and oregano, you will never want to return to plain old patties. Accompanying the burgers were savory sweet potato fries and a condiment platter including green chilies and sauteed mushrooms. My grandparents wanted him to stay the whole summer.
Turkey Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries
Servings: 4
1 pound ground turkey
1 finely chopped red onion
Zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon thyme
1 egg
Dash of Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Form into patties. Grill three to four minutes each side on a grill over medium heat, or until no longer pink in the middle. Top with Swiss cheese if desired. Serve on toasted buns with condiment platter. Condiments to include are: Ketchup, mustard, sliced red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, butter sauteed mushrooms and diced green chilies.
Sweet Potato Fries
Servings: 4
5 to 6 sweet potatoes
Coarse salt
Pepper
Dried onion
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Wash potatoes. Chop in large pieces (so they look like ‘steak fries’ in a restaurant.) Soak potatoes in a large bowl of water for one hour. Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet. Coat in olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder. Bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once, or until crispy and brown on the outside.
