Lamb Borek and the Secret of Sogginess

Lamb borek is stunning to look at, and even more enjoyable to eat, which is all thanks to, believe it or not, intentionally soggy dough. This is something I didn’t grasp the first time I made it, and I just brushed melted butter between the layers, hoping for something really crispy, and flaky, which in Phylloland is standard operating procedure. However, since my dough was not made flexible by the egg/yogurt/butter wash we used here, it basically exploded in like seven spots when I tried to roll it up. Lesson learned.

Besides moisturizing the phyllo, this magic mixture also adds flavor, thanks to the tangy yogurt; and the melted butter helps create a fairly crispy exterior as well. So, while we don’t want to fully saturate the sheets, a light brushing really does wonders. If you use a 9 or 10 inch round pan like I did, three rolls should work out nicely, but this technique will work no matter what you bake it on. You can also skip the spiral effect, and keep them straight, or bend them into any other shape.

You’ll need a package of phyllo that provides at least 12 decent sheets, and I really hope yours is better than the tragic box I bought. However, as bad as mine was, it still worked out quite nicely, so I’m not exactly sure why I’m complaining. Anyway, whether you make the recipe as listed, or tweak the filling to your tastes, I really do hope you give this lamb borek recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 large portions:

(for one 9-10 inch round baking dish)

1 package frozen phyllo (filo) dough

2 teaspoons sesame seeds for the top, optional

For the lamb filling (you’ll have some leftover):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 pounds ground lamb

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

4 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons currants

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

For the egg/yogurt/butter wash:

1 large egg

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoon melted butter

For the yogurt sauce:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons very finely sliced mint leaves

lemon juice to taste

1 crushed garlic clove, optional

enough water to achieve desired texture

pinch of salt and cayenne

- Bake at 400 F. for 35-40 minutes, or until browned and crisp.

Note: Save any extra phyllo, since the filling recipe above makes extra, and you can fold up some smaller, triangular boreks if you want.

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American-Style Soufflé Pancakes – Also Known as Not Japanese-Style Soufflé Pancakes

These easy to make soufflé pancakes use the same basic technique as their extremely trendy Japanese cousins, but are much easier, don’t require a mold, and actually taste like pancakes. Of course, these won’t garner the same love on Instagram, but hey, what we sacrifice in verticality, we more than make up for in less hot air.

The fully inflated version just isn’t dense enough to satisfy me as a pancake, and mostly makes me want to bake actual soufflés. By the way, no matter what pancake recipe you like best, if it has eggs in it, you can do the same thing with the whites, and it almost always improves the texture.

I joked about putting hot pancakes on cold plates in the video, but in the restaurant business, this is no laughing matter. It’s one way you can tell whether pros or amateurs are running the place. At home, I usually just turn my oven to the lowest setting, and warm the plates in there, ideally next to some bacon.

Running them under hot water also works, as does zapping them in the microwave for 20 seconds. Regardless of the plate’s temperature beneath them, or what you top these with, I really do hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 4 large or 6 smaller Soufflé Pancakes:

2 large eggs, separated

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

pinch of salt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon self-rising flour (see note below)

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons butter for cooking

Note: To make your own self-rising flour (2 cups worth): Sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, with 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt.

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Loco Moco – Sounds Much Better in Spanish

This amazing Hawaiian comfort food classic is made by topping rice with a fried burger, which is then smothered with a rich, brown gravy, and finished with a fried egg. Seriously, how did it take until 1949 for someone to think of this combination? And, once they did, why exactly did they name it, “crazy mucus,” which is what this actually translates to.

I’ll let you read all about that here, but disturbing names aside, this really is a cheap, filling bowl of goodness, that can be adapted in all sorts of ways. The beef patty is standard, but spam is also used, as is roast pork, and even seafood.

I like the classic burger best, although as I mentioned in video, I do recommend using a thinner patty, around 4 ounces, which will make this easier to eat, as well as provide a better beef-to-rice-to-gravy ratio. I had a pound of meat and decided to make two portions, but in hindsight I should have saved half for something else.

Of course, you’re having a pretty good week when you’re complaining that your burger was too thick for your loco moco. Anyway, I hope you had a great week as well, and that you give this fast, and very satisfying Hawaiian classic a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 portions:

1 teaspoon unsalted butter for cooking the burger

2 ground beef patties (4 to 6 ounces is ideal)

salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne to taste

2 tablespoons minced green onions (white/light parts)

2 cup cooked white rice

2 fried egg

sliced green onions to garnish

For the gravy:

1 1/2 cups high-quality beef broth

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

few drops of sesame oil, optional

2 teaspoons ketchup

2 teaspoons sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch (or a little more if you want a thicker sauce)

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Bacon Wrapped Spring Chicken

I’m running off to a very important meeting, and between getting some notes together, and finding a clean shirt, I don’t have time to write the bacon wrapped Spring chicken post just yet. So, for now you’ll have to settle for the ingredient amounts, and I promise I’ll fill out the rest later. Enjoy! 

Okay, I'm back, and ready to finish off this post. Except, I'm not sure exactly what to add, since the technique is every bit as easy as it appears in the video. The only real point of emphasis is keeping the knife relatively still where it goes into the side of the breast, as you cut a nice big pocket inside. Other than that, just be sure to tuck your bacon ends under the chicken, and you shouldn't have too much trouble. 

You should probably use a thermometer to check the doneness, but a great rule of thumb is when you see and hear juices from the stuffing and chicken start to leak into the pan. I just did a quick lemon deglaze, but time permitting, the browned bits in the pan will make a great pan sauce, like the one we did in this Airline Chicken video. Either way, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 portions:

For the stuffing:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced green onions (aka spring onions)

2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeno pepper

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, grated Gruyere, cheddar, blue, or any other cheese

2 tablespoons freshly chopped green herbs (tarragon, parsley, dill, a little thyme, are all great choice alone or combined) 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 rounded teaspoon fine dry breadcrumbs

For the rest:

2 eight-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast, cut as show

enough salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne to generously season chicken

4 to 6 strips of bacon, or enough to wrap chicken breasts

1 teaspoon oil to grease pan

juice from 1 lemon to deglaze pan drippings

- Roast at 425 F. for about 30 minutes, or until an internal temp of at least 155 F.

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