Mainely Burger

I called this my Mainely burger because it reminds me of what my mother made for our family (in Maine). She often made us patties by hand chopping or grinding a combination of wild Maine shrimp and chicken. These 2 ingredients make delicious moist patties to be eaten whole in sandwiches/burgers or in slices accompanied by piping steamed rice, noodles or pasta. I prefer to fry my burger buns in a pat of butter or Benecol (plant-based) so the interior will not be too soggy.

Mainely burger

Mainely Burger (makes 2)

Ingredients:

2 hamburger buns, pan-fried with a pat of butter or Benacol until golden
Mayonnaise
Sriracha (hot sauce)
2 large Fried Soft-Shell Crabs (more if using smaller ones)
2 Mom's Chicken and Shrimp Patties (see recipe below)
A few slices of Pan-Fried Red Onion (see recipe below)
1 young kelp, blanched in boiling water for about 10 seconds, strained, cut into 2-inch lengths
Tomato slices
Avocado slices
Fresh cilantro, optional

Method:

Layer the ingredients according to your taste.

mom's chicken and shrimp patty

Mom's Chicken and Shrimp Patties (makes 4 patties)

Ingredients:

4 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined, diced
6 oz chicken thigh, deboned, skinless, diced
1/2 tsp shallot-garlic-ginger seasoning (see recipe below)
About 1 Tbsp of egg white
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground pepper (black or white)

Method:

Combine all ingredients and either hand chop or use a food processor to mince everything. The texture is up to you. I prefer to mince everything slightly on the rough side. Divide the mixture into 4 parts and wet your palm with a little oil and form a round mound with each part. Refrigerate the mound to chill either overnight or at least 4-6 hours. Pan fry with a little oil until cooked thoroughly and golden on each side (about 10 minutes). May add a little oil to the back of the spatula to help press the patties down to make thinner. To test for doneness slice the center to check. The meat should be opaque once cooked.

shallot-garlic-ginger seasoning

Shallot-Garlic-Ginger Seasoning

Ingredients:

1 large shallot, peeled, grated
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, grated
1/2 inch x 1/2 inch ginger, peeled, grated

Method:

Mix well.

pan-fried red onion

Pan-Fried Red Onion

Ingredients:

About 1/2 tsp oil (vegetable or your preference)
1 red onion, peeled, sliced
A pinch of salt (optional)

Method:

Fry the onion in oil until soft. Season with salt if interested.

Charcuterie Board

Recently I made a charcuterie board for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner and people seemed to like it so I am making another board using similar ingredients to share with you. For this board, I have 3 different types of cheese--soft, medium and hard, 3 types of cured meats, pate, dried mission figs, dried dates, roasted macadamia nuts, crackers and of course fried tiny green crabs less than 3/4 inch each. Don't let the crabs scare you. Give it a try because you may end up liking it! The cheese recommendation came from Nancy, owner of a European style cheese store, C'est Cheese. This store has more than cheese products so check it out if you are ever in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

Creating a spread for a charcuterie board is fun and easy. Below is a list of food idea that are typically used on a charcuterie board or plate:

Cheese
Cured meats
Pate 
Dips or spreads
Nuts or seeds
Dried or fresh fruits
Olives or pickles
Fresh vegetables 
Crackers or toasted/grilled baguette slices
Jams, honey, or maple syrup

Below is a board that I made for 2 people. However, you can easily make it larger with more ingredients to feed a crowd. Thank you, Saveur Magazine for the board!

charcuterie board with green crabs

Charcuterie Board

Ingredients:

About 5 oz Aged Goat Gouda (from Holland)
About 4 1/2 oz Truffled Cheddar (from England)
About 3 oz Black Label Cambozola (from Germany)
About 1/2 cup of roasted macadamia nuts
6 thinly slices of pepper salame
6 thinly slices of dry coppa (mild)
6 thinly slices of prosciutto
10 dried mission figs
10 dried dates
5.5 oz of store-bought or home-made pate
2-3 types of crackers
13-15 fried green crabs

Method:

Fry the green crabs in oil until they turn orange-red color and are cooked, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size. Arrange the ingredients according to your style.