New and Exciting Picnic Recipes

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Lentil Burgers

This  mix makes fine burger patties to slide into a bun, but you can also cook smaller portions and stuff them into pita pockets. Adapted from 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains (Plume, 1998).

1/2 cup dried green, brown or red lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups water

Combine the lentils, brown rice, onion, carrot, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil gently until the rice and lentils are tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 40 minutes. Drain in a colander to remove any excess liquid. Let cool slightly, then process in food processor until fairly smooth. Form into 3-to-4-inch patties.

Just before cooking the burgers, mist them with oil, and grill over a medium-hot fire. Grill until crisp on both sides, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Free-Range Mint-Spiced Lamburgers

Find free-range lamb producers near you at Eat Wild and Local Harvest. Adapted from The Farmer and the Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing and Spit-Roasting Grassfed Meat (Left to Write Press, 2008).

1 small onion, finely minced
1 tsp sea salt
4 ounces chevre (soft goat milk cheese)
1 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 small chili pepper, diced (seeds and white membrane removed)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp garam masala (optional but adds an exotic kick; available at Asian groceries and natural foods stores)
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

With your hands, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Loosely shape the mixture into 4 or 5 meatballs, then flatten each ball until it’s about 1/2 inch thick. With your fingertips, make a well in the middle of each patty to prevent the meat from getting puffy over the flames.

When your grill is medium-hot and you can hold your hand 5 inches above it for no more than 4 seconds, brush the grill lightly with vegetable oil, then set the patties directly over the flame with the wells facing up. Grill, covered, about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium burgers.

Curried Free-Range Chicken Salad

This exotic version of chicken salad takes advantage of the complex flavors found in pasture-raised poultry, and the smoky depth an open fire gives it. Adapted from The Farmer and the Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing and Spit-Roasting Grassfed Meat (Left to Write Press, 2008).

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print