Caribbean Spiced Chicken Burgers

Have you ever had chicken burgers? Burgers made out of ground chicken? No? Oh, you must make them now. And I just happen to have a recipe for them right here.

The best thing about this recipe is the flavor. Tons of spices here. And the perfect combination of them.

See those spices? SO. GOOD. Then you marinade those yummy burgers in red wine vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar. So simple. So delicious. Top it with a fresh tomato (no salmonella, of course) and some lettuce, and you’ve got yourself one of the best burgers ever.

I served them with corn on the cob and roasted red potatoes. And what may have been the best fruit tart ever.

Caribbean Spiced Chicken Burgers
(adapted from http://goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/)

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp garlic salt (I didn’t have garlic salt, so I just did ¼ garlic powder and ¼ salt)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (YUM!)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
-In small bowl, combine thyme, salt, garlic, onion, paprika, pepper, allspice, ginger and set aside.
-Divide ground chicken into four 1/4 lb rounds. Shape rounds into 1/2 inch thick patties (about 5 inches wide).
-In high sided dish or airtight storage bag, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar.
-Mix to dissolve sugar into liquids.
-Coat both sides of chicken patties with spice mixture and place into liquid. (Okay, this is the part where next time I might just mix the spice mixture from step 1 into the ground chicken.)
-Seal and place in fridge for about 1 hour to marinate.
-Turn grill on medium high.
-Remove chicken patties from marinade, shake to remove excess and place onto grill.
-Cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. (Maybe less?)

Moo Dang that was good…

So I stole that blog title from my friend Becky. But I think it may have been at least partially my idea. So whatever.

Once a month or so, I get together with some friends for an international dinner. We pick a country, and each bring a dish. I usually bring dessert. Because that’s how I roll.

This week, we were doing Thai food, and I made this yummy mango sticky rice.

I’ve never done rice for dessert. But the recipe seemed pretty simple. Boil some short-grain rice (I used jasmine) for about 15-20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. While that’s happening, break out the mango. I like to use the Martha Stewart technique for mangos, which involves cutting it away from the core, then making skinny slices and scooping them out with a “sharp spoon.” Um, Martha, what is a sharp spoon? Isn’t sharp the antithesis of a spoon. You and your crazy moon language, Martha. But whatever, it worked. For the most part.

Also while your rice is cooking, you mix some coconut milk with sugar and a dash of salt. Bring to a slow simmer. And just a warning. Coconut milk doesn’t boil like anything I’ve ever worked with. It starts to rumble, then sends up giant, splattery bubbles. So when you hear that rumbling, begin to stir it. Once you get a good boil, dump it into the pot with your cooked rice. Stir together, and place a lid over the pot, letting the rice soak up the coconutty goodness. Yum.

Ah, then came the serving part. I LOVE plating food! I found the cutest little bowls at Target that were perfect for this dish. They were small, and kind of Asian looking. Oh, and they were cheap. It was the perfect trifecta of awesome.

Once the rice is cook/room temperature (after about an hour), I heaping quarter cups of the mixture into balls, and put them in the bowls. Then, you make a coconut sauce with more coconut milk, sugar, and corn starch. Drizzle over the coconut, to your taste. Finish off with the mango, a few sesame seeds, and some toasted coconut. I also served this with coconut sorbet. So light, fruity, and yummy!

Thai Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice (I used jasmine rice)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (I used light)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3 mangos, peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Toasted coconut (for garnish)
• Coconut ice cream (optional)

1. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. While the rice cooks, mix together 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Stir the cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture; cover. Allow to cool for 1 hour.
3. Make a sauce by mixing together 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the corn starch in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
4. Place the sticky rice on a serving dish. Arrange the mangos on top of the rice. Pour the sauce over the mangos and rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toasted coconut. Serve with coconut ice cream if desired.