The Best of Burp! 2012

 Difficult to believe we're coming to the end of another great year. As it gets to be this time, we always find ourselves looking back, reflecting, and planning for what's ahead -- and that includes a whole new look for 2013. We've been working with a friend and very talented graphic designer, Noel Tanner, to revamp our logo and give the site a bit of a new look in 2013.  If you want a preview, check out our new icon on Facebook. Otherwise, just stay tuned.

In the meantime, we'd like to thank you for your readership, your comments, and your feedback. Burp! wouldn't couldn't exist without you!

As a thanks to all of you, we figured we'd share the top 12 posts on Burp! from 2012 (in order of popularity) ... just in case you missed them.

Top 12 Posts of 2012
These are in order of popularity, # 1 being the most popular post.

1. Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf and Lessons Learned
2. Sweet and Spicy Butter Roasted Chickpeas
3. Roasted Radishes with Tarragon Butter
4. Kicking off Grilled Cheese Month: Melthouse Bistro
5. St. Patrick's Day Recipes
6. No Fuss Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Chutney
7. Coffee Rubbed Ribeye with Chipotle Butter
8. Wonton Crisps - Four Ways
9. Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary Browned Butter
10. Uses for Sumac: Za'atar Potatoes
11. Easy Baked Chimichangas
12. Creamed Celeriac Soup with Potatoes, Sausage, and Kale 
    

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As always, we're always listening and open to your feedback.  What was YOUR favorite post? What would you like to see more of in 2013?

©BURP! 

Best of Spring: Roasted Radishes with Tarragon Butter

 I'm not sure what your feelings are about radishes. But, I'll share with you that mine are often mixed.

I love the IDEA of radishes -- their petite frames, their crispness and crunch, their deceptively vibrant skin providing coverage to the purest white of flesh.

I like the occasional radish plucked from the relish tray and dipped in salt.  And I enjoy the bite of radish in a hearty chopped salad, especially when it's paired with sweet corn or something that provides a bright foil for its peppery bite.

But sometimes, I must admit, I struggle with what to do with all the bunches of spring radishes that show up in our CSA box.

Yet, radishes are worth eating.  It turns out they're a relatively good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate and Potassium.

So, I've made it my mission to rediscover these pretty little vegetables, and get a little creative about it in the process.  So, I decided to roast the little suckers.

Now -- hopefully you'll agree when I declare that tarragon is one of the brightest and freshest-tasting of all herbs. Bold, but not brash, it exhibits a faint hint of anise that tends to please –yes-- even the most licorice-hating palate.

However, much like a radish, tarragon's flavor is deceptively strong, and too much of it can ruin a dish. But when used judiciously, a little tarragon is like springtime on a plate.  Similarly – and maybe unexpectedly – the roasting process renders radishes particularly sweet, succulent and mellow, very unlike their raw counterparts.  (Grilling works similarly well, so if you're inspired to cook out of doors, this recipe works there too!)

As it turns out, the two, paired together, make a truly unique spring statement.  The subtle flavor of the radishes pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the tarragon. The dish is simple, fresh, and light – a perfect reminder of just how fantastic quality fresh vegetables can be.

In order to mix the tarragon butter successfully, you will have to make more of it than you are likely to use on a batch of roasted radishes. The wonderful thing is that you’ll have plenty of tarragon butter left to add to grilled meats, scrambled eggs, or, for a real treat, to spread it on a piece of toasted crusty, chewy bread.  

Try it; you’ll thank us.

Roasted Radishes with Tarragon Butter

 ©BURP! Where Food Happens

Spring Grill: Baby Bok Choy and Spring Radish Salad

We enjoyed quite the long holiday weekend of grilled foods.
There was an evening of grilled jalapeno bratwurst with naturally fermented sauerkraut... an evening with friends and a bit of (heavenly) jerk marinated grilled pork... and we also served up some exceedingly delicious BBQ grilled chicken.

Interestingly enough, one of the most rewarding dishes of the weekend was a salad.

We were thrilled on Saturday when we visited the farmer's market and found that our favorite farmers from JenEhr Family Farm were back in action. We were also lucky enough to find that they were hocking some painfully fresh baby bok choy and some nearly perfect spring radishes. Rather than settling for an ordinary stir fry, we decided upon something a bit more unusual. You've heard of grilled Caesar salad, no? Seems to be a trend these days... and it inspired us to do a bit MORE with our bok choy.

We took those gorgeous green, tightly grown, stalks... and tossed them with a bit of our favorite everday olive oil.
We also took the radishes and gave them a similar treatment. They look so pretty... all shiney and pink, and just raring to be tossed onto the grill. Don't they?
Well, that's exactly what we did. We heated up our trusty old Weber with some natural charcoal. And we hauled all the greased up veggie goods outside.
We laid everything gently on the cleaned grates, and let them char for a bit.
After a nice quick flip, we saw the caramelization developing on those delicious little radishes.
And we watched as the tender leaves of the bok choy wrinkled and browned -- and the more resistant white flesh grew suspiciously tender (and fabulously sweet).
Once inside, we plated up the bok choy with its little radish buddies -- and drizzled the whole bit with a bit of balsamic vinegar dressing (a simple mix of olive oil, 3-year balsamic, and a bit of dijon mustard).
Honestly -- it was the most heavenly spring salad. The previously sharp radishes took on a more gentle personality. The caramelization gave everything a sweeter, more succulent flavor. And the balsamic brought everything back into focus -- marrying the still-crisp salad with a bit of sweet & sour romance.

This was the perfect accompaniment to a bit of grilled chicken. But, it would also be quite at home next to a bit of barbequed tempeh. Or some lovely barbequed tofu.

I only kicked myself a little bit for not trying a more Asian-inspired dressing. Something with a bit of ginger, maybe. Or some nice roasted sesame. That would have been close to perfect.

Oh, YUM.


©BURP! Where Food Happens

End of Summer Corn and Arugula Salad

Just the other day, a friend of mine from Seattle commented on our participation in the local eating challenge. "You can do that in October?" she exclaimed, "In Wisconsin?!?"

I understood what she was getting at. The Wisconsin growing season is relatively short in comparison to some. But, here in Milwaukee we reap the benefits of being close to Lake Michigan, which offers the added advantage of a bit of insulation from frost. So, early October can bring a fairly wide array of garden delights. In fact, many of us are still reaping the harvest from our gardens into late October and early November. And many farmer's markets in our area are actually open and active well into November.

But, I was a bit surprised to find a farmer at the West Allis Farmer's Market this past Saturday who still had a nice, healthy batch of sweet corn to offer up. Not quite as eager as we were earlier in the season, we decided that it might not be a bad idea to buy up a bit of corn, grill it, and pack it away in the freezer. After all, grilled corn is a real treat when the bitter winds of February are blowing! So, we picked up an armload of corn.

We also grabbed a nice bunch of arugula from our friends at Jen Ehr Farm. We shouldn't pick favorites, but the good people at Jen Ehr are some of the best at the market. They're bright, and friendly, and their produce is simply top notch.
After making a quick dressing from a bit of mayonnaise, some Zemo garlic (which seems to be a nice, mild variety just right for eating raw), a bit of lemon, some buttermilk, some cayenne and black pepper... I stirred it together with a few chopped radishes, part of a red onion, and some of the corn.I tossed the arugula in -- and then plated everything up, tossing a bit of crumbled gorgonzola on top at the last minute.
Sweet, peppery, cruncy, and delicious. I couldn't be happier with how this concoction turned out. This really is the sort of salad that I want to eat on a cool, October day.
Looking back, I'm thinking this would make the perfect chopped salad to serve alongside a nice grass-fed steak. But, I could also see it paired with a bit of protein as something more akin to main dish fare.
Either way -- enjoy!
End of Summer Corn and Arugula Salad

©BURP! Where Food Happens