Looking for a healthy way to celebrate National Hamburger Month? We were sent this recipe by Michael Scipione, fitness/lifestyle consultant and owner/personal trainer of Absolute Definition in Philadelphia. Most recently Scipione decided to combine his passion for cooking and provide a private/personal catering/cooking service for his clients named Sano, meaning healthy in Italian.

The Sano Burger, made with 100% ground turkey breast, served on a whole-wheat roll is a Greek/French fusion, with Sano’s own eggplant/sun-dried tomato yogurt spread in lieu of mayonnaise. This low fat, low glycemic, high protein burger creation is accompanied by oven roasted yam fries. Scipione proves that “eating healthy does not have to be boring with his flavorful burger.” Hit the jump for the recipe.

The Turkey Burger
- 1 LB of ground turkey breast
- ¼ LB of French Feta Cheese
- ¼ cup of 2% milk
- 1 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. of catsup
- ½ tsp. Sea salt
- ¼ tsp. course ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup of the prepared sautéed eggplant mixture (see recipe below)

Directions
1. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and hand mix
2. Form the turkey into 4 patties about 1½ inch thick
3, Add a couple of drops of olive oil onto each patty before placing on the grill pan
4. Cook on high for approx. 4 – 4 ½ min per side, flipping once, until medium well or until juices run clear

Sautéed Eggplant and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lg. eggplant (purple) cut into ¼ inch rounds approx. 1/8 inch thick
- 1 medium red onion (cut into thinly sliced halves)
- 1 cup of fresh spinach
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. of dried oregano
- 1 handful sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)
- zest and juice of ½ of a lemon
- ¼ cup of pitted kalamata olives (finely chopped)
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar
- 8 oz fat and sodium free chicken stock
- ½ tsp. Sea salt
- ¼ tsp. course ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a large heated pan add 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, along with the red onion, bay leaf, salt, black and red pepper flakes, sauté for approx. 2 min
2. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, lemon zest, sauté another 2-3min add the eggplant and sauté’ an additional 3-4 minutes
3. Clear off a hot spot in your pan, add the Dijon mustard into the center of it, then a minute later add the red wine vinegar, lower the flame to medium-high heat, stir to coat the rest of the ingredients
4, When the vinegar smell dissipates, add the chicken stock and reduce until almost all of the liquid is gone
remove from flame and wilt in the spinach

Greek Mayo
- 8 oz fat free Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- zest of ½ lemon
- 1 ladle of the sautéed eggplant mixture

Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredient into a food processor for approximately 45 sec to a minute, mixture should be thick in consistency

Oven Roasted Orange Coriander/Sage Yam Fries
- 2 lbs yams
- ½ lb shallots (sliced thin)
- 1 tsp. ground sage
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- zest of 1 large orange
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. Sea salt
- ¼ taps course ground black pepper

Directions
1. Peel the yams and cut into ½ inch strips lengthwise
2. Place into large bowl and add the shallots and the rest of the remaining ingredients, mix with hands
4. Be sure to coat all of the fries with the herbs and spices and place in a single layer on a baking sheet (mix with your hands for the best results
5. Place on middle oven rack in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes

Plating Your Burger
1. First, remove most of the dough from the roll and spread the topping on both sides of a whole-wheat roll. 2. Place fresh spinach on the bottom of the roll, add the burger and the sautéed vegetables for the topping
3. Place the yam fries and the Greek yogurt eggplant spread in lieu of catsup for a dipping sauce

• In a review of a D.C. area shop that serves Philly style sandwiches, the roast pork gets a shout out, and the props it deserves. [Washington Post via The Illadelph]

• A delicious combination of sweet and savory, how could you go wrong with smoked ham, turkey, and Swiss on French toast with berry jam for dipping? [Coconut & Lime]

• David Snyder finds Daniel Stern’s MidAtlantic lacking some focus and execution but the housemade beef neck, short rib, and brisket hot dogs boast “brilliant flavor and texture.” [Philadelphia Citypaper]

• Rick Nichols paid a visit to Michael Schulson’s Sampan, and can’t stop talking about the 24-hour marinated pork belly banh mi. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Let’s face it, with the holiday season in full swing, our wallets are feeling a little tight. A great way to stretch those dollars even further is to create meals with leftovers in mind. This flank steak two ways from goodLife {eats} will not only help you woo that Friday night date, but makes for a great lunch on Saturday and Sunday as well.

What meals do you cook with the day after sandwich in mind?

Flank Steak & Marinade – Two Ways [goodLife {eats}]

Sure, canned salmon lacks a certain gourmet flair; but for just a few bucks, you can get wild-caught Alaska salmon, full of protein and healthy oils, and turn it into something flavorful and satisfying.  Add some fresh dill, lemon and Dijon mustard, and you can make fast, easy salmon burgers that hit the spot without doing too much damage to your checking account. Full recipe after the jump.

Ingredients
•  2 cans (7-1/2 oz. each) Alaska salmon
•  2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
•  1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
•  3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
•  1/2 cup chopped dill
•  3 egg whites
•  salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Drain salmon. Combine lemon juice and mustard. Blend salmon with bread crumbs, dill and lemon juice mixture. Mix in egg whites. Form mixture into 4 patties and pan fry or broil until golden brown and heated through. Squeeze fresh lemon to taste on top of the burgers as soon as they come off the heat. Serve each burger on an Arnold Sandwich Thin with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce.

For extra flavor, render some diced bacon or pancetta; add to mixture.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has created a new marketing campaign called The Cheese & Burger Society: an organization promoting Wisconsin Cheese as “the Grand Poo-bah of every cheeseburger grilled at a backyard barbecue or flame-broiled at a roadside diner.”  The website provides mouth-watering photos of 30 different burgers, each with a little story and recipe narrated by actor Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld’s Puddy).  Each burger also features an info sheet on the various cheeses, including pairing suggestions with beer, wine and liquor.

The burger toppings range from the traditional to the over-the-top.  Some of the featured burgers include the Boss, with Wisconsin asiago, arugula, prosciutto, red onions, olive tapenade, tomato and basil on a rosemary ciabatta; the Southern Belle, with Wisconsin gruyere, BBQ sauce, pickles, onions and cole slaw on grilled sourdough; the Brooklyn, a burger that thinks it’s a Reuben; and the Sheboygan, that pairs a burger with bratwurst and sauerkraut.

You can even enter for a chance to win a stainless steel grill or Wisconsin cheese basket.  Check em out on Facebook and let us know which burgers look the best for your Labor Day BBQ.

On the web: Cheese & Burger Society

According to Gourmet Magazine, meat and cheese between bread, is like second nature to humans. We couldn’t agree more. The sandwich journey spans from Momofuku chef/owner David Chang’s pork belly buns to a tuna nicoise sandwich and the Monte Cubano, an amalgam of two classics working together for a greater good. If you find the photographs as drool inducing as we do, you’ll be glad to hear that each sandwich is accompanied by a recipe.

Sandwiches Of The World [Gourmet]

John Taus, chef at Snackbar in Philadelphia, sent us a recipe for his fig mostarda.  The sweet and tangy mostarda is typically paired with Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese at the restaurant, but Chef Taus told us the mostarda would also work perfectly as a condiment on any type of prosciutto sandwich.

Snackbar tweets its specials each day, so follow them on Twitter and see what Chef Taus has cooking up.

Ingredients

one pint dry figs, stems removed
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole grain mustard, preferably Maille brand
Salt to taste

Directions

Put dry figs in small pot with sherry and sugar.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
Reduce cooking liquid to a syrup consistency.
Place fig mixture in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth.
Use water to thin out the consistency of the purree in order to make it spreadable.
Remove mixture from blender and whisk in mustard. Season with salt to taste. Adjust mustard and sherry to your personal liking.

Snackbar
253 S. 20th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)

Coconut & Lime is firing up the panini press for a series of recipes this week, and taking some beautiful pictures along the way.  Rachel Rappaport’s mouthwatering recipes are making us hungry for crispy pressed sandwiches like Sesame-Ginger Pork and Prosciutto di Parma with Capicola.  We will be checking back throughout the week to see the tasty combinations that Coconut & Lime is sure to put between grilled bread.

We caught up with Coconut & Lime’s creator Rachel Rappaport:

Unbreaded: Can you give us a little background about C&L?
Rachel Rappaport: I started Coconut & Lime back in 2004 as a place to share my recipes with friends. It slowly grew until the point where I now do it full time. I really enjoy creating my own recipes for food and sharing them with my readers. It is a lot of work but worth it when I see how well my recipes are received by people who make them in their own kitchens!

UB: You’ve made a lot of sandwiches.  Can you give us some lessons learned?
RR: While I enjoy buying fancy meats and cheeses to make my own gourmet sandwiches, I really love making sandwiches out of leftovers from other meals. It makes the idea of eating leftovers much more palatable; it is almost as if you weren’t eating leftovers at all.

UB: If you could eat any sandwich in the world right now, what would it be, and from where?
RR: Luckily my favorite sandwich is easily obtained at our local Italian deli. It is called the Old World Italian and has great Italian meats and cheese and an olive spread that is truly divine.

UB: What’s your favorite sandwich to throw together in the middle of the night?
RR: Grilled cheese! Made with sharp Cabot cheddar and occasionally some Canadian bacon or tomato.

Via [Coconut & Lime]

With the last weeks of summer approaching, we’re trying every way possible to hold back these sun filled, lazy days of relaxation. What better way to live it up, then by treating yourself to some delicious, and rich lobster rolls? The cool combination of succulent Maine lobster, celery, and lemon juice is a great way to reminisce about the road trips, beach vacations, and other fun summer activities, before it’s time to return to school and work. This recipe from the great recipe blog Smitten Kitchen is simple, and flavorful, substituting the traditional hot dog style bun for a brioche roll.

Lobster Rolls
Light Brioche Burger Buns [Smitten Kitchen]

Tim Crowe may be a web developer by trade, but his love for cooking has lead him to launch Eating Crowe a fun, and casual online cooking show. With help from his co-host Josh Nittle, Crowe invades his friends’ kitchen in Fishtown and shoots two episodes a month with the help of several others. As the show is only six episodes in, with recipes like lobster ravioli and chorizo empanadas, it is evident that the production is getting better every time. We are big fans of the ambitious overhead shots. Says Crowe about the show:

“Eating Crowe cracks wise at foodie culture and food television. We’re trying to show that it’s fun and every dish doesn’t have to come out perfectly. We try things we’ve never done before and have a lot of fun doing it. Sometimes dishes succeed, sometimes they fail, either way its okay because you’re always a phone call away from a pizza. What’s more important is that you cook, eat and share food”

The latest episode of Eating Crowe steps us through a deliciously delectable pulled pork sandwich topped with a sweet, but tangy Cherry Coke based sauce and crunchy coleslaw. These pictures and video have us drooling, and Crowe’s casual cooking style has us feeling confident that we could pull these sandwiches off with ease. Hit the jump for the video and a link to the full recipe.

Cherry Coke Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe [Eating Crowe]