Fresh Foods Fast

It’s fitting that the name of this blog is The Hungry Cook, since that’s often how I’m feeling when I’m whipping together meals. I love using fresh ingredients partly because they make it easier to get foods from kitchen to table fast. The ingredients I picked up at the farmer’s market the other day made perfect fast foods.

First, I made the promised Caprese salad (named after the Italian island of Capri, one of the prettiest places on Earth), using red heirloom tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella (get the kind swimming in water, not wrapped in plastic), salt & pepper, olive oil, and a little balsamic vinegar. I accented it with that great rosemary foccacia to help sop up all the tasty juices. Nothing to cook or heat up the kitchen – the perfect summertime treat.

I’m going to have to pick up some prosciutto and cibatta to turn the rest of the mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes  into a tasty sandwich, too.

Yesterday I turned the fresh ground beef from the farmer’s market into Mediterranean burgers. I call them that simply because the beef is seasoned a little differently than regular burgers and they’re served in pita pockets.

Mediterranean Hamburgers

Meat:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, finely diced,

1 -2 cloves of garlic, diced

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil (if using fresh, use 1 tsp)

salt & pepper to taste

Condiments & Additions:

tomato, sliced thin

lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

sauce made with a 2-2-1 ratio of mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard

pita bread

To make Mediterranean burgers, cook ground beef over med-high heat with plenty of diced onion, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. You can also throw in some in diced red bell pepper to add a little more flavor. If you have time, you can grill up onions, too, since they’re a great addition. To dress the burger, I use tomato slices, mixed salad greens, and special sauce (just a mixture of ketchup, mustard & mayonnaise). Sometimes, I also throw in thinly chopped cucumbers, as well. Layer all the ingredients into fresh pitas and you’re set for a quick, tasty meal.