Four Sliders, One Big Home Run

Ok,

I know I'm wicked late in getting this post done.  Blame it on the Bruins' Stanley Cup Run.  It pretty much consumed my life for most of the month of June.

But amidst my numerous forays into the North Station area, I did manage to make time for another special sporting event.  This one happened to be in Foxboro, though: A rematch of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semifinals between the United States Men's National Team and the reigning world champions from Spain.

This was going to be a big game.  The USMNT has become a decent draw unto itself.  But with Spain the opponent, it was a given that this would be a near-sellout at Gillette.  In fact, one could make the case that this was the biggest game the US ever played in Foxboro, despite the fact that it was a friendly (exhibition) match.  It was bigger than US-Holland in 2002.  The only match that could possibly approach it was US-Mexico in 1997.

Nonetheless, when the USMNT plays, it's often a chance for me to catch up with a number of friends from all over the country.  In fact, it was from traveling all over the US for USMNT matches that I made a good number of these friendships.  And as often is the case, this usually involves a massive tailgate party before the game.

Now, as you already know, I live for tailgating.  The food, the friends the camaraderie - it's one of my favorite things in the world.  I try to bring my 'A' game for most Revolution games, but for matches as big as this one, I really like to outdo myself.

So, when it came to planning out my menu, I had to factor in a few things.  Namely, I 'd be cooking for a lot more people, some who have tried my cuisine before and some who have never savored the fruits of my culinary labor.  In addition, while I'd have a significantly longer tailgate than a usual Revolution match, I'd want to bounce around and socialize a lot more as well.  So this meant something that was quick cooking and easy to assemble.  Fortunately, I didn't have to think too hard about what to make, the idea popped into my head right away: Sliders.

The mini-burger craze is alive and well.  And why not?  Restaurants all over are using sliders as a means of offering many different tastes in small bites.  You can have the taste of a burger without making the commitment to having to eat a third of a pound of the the same thing.

Because I like to mix things up and offer a variety of dishes whenever I cook, I chose to make four different types using two different types of meat: ground beef and ground turkey.  I have a bunch of friends who don't do the red meat thing anyways, so the turkey would allow them to be included as well.

I riffled through a bunch of my cookbooks and searched through the Epicurious website and finally came up with my recipes:

• Beef sliders with chimichurri sauce on snowflake rolls
• Beef sliders with roasted garlic confit and blue cheese on garlic ciabatta
• Turkey souvlaki sliders with tzaziki sauce and baby spinach on dinner rolls
• Turkey bratwurst sliders, 'Octoberfest style' with jaeger sauce, sauerkraut and new potato on pumpernickel

Without further ado, here's the info:

Beef sliders with Chimichurri Sauce

Adapted from Joey Altman

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 bunch flat leaf (Italian) parsley, washed, dried and stems removed

8 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 red wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

12 Snowflake or other small dinner rolls, sliced in half

Season the beef with salt and pepper and form into 12 balls of equal size.  Flatten the balls into patties and grill over medium heat 3-4 minutes a side until pink in the middle.

Meanwhile, add the parsley, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and cayenne to a blender and pulse until somewhat smooth.

To serve, place a burger on a roll, top with the chimmichurri and top with other side of roll.

Notes:

Chimmichurri is a staple of South American cuisine. Similar to Italian pesto, but not as thick (there's no cheese to act as a binder), this sauce packs an incredible herbal punch with a big garlic kick.  The oil adds body while the vinegar and lemon juice cuts through the richness.  Fresh parsley is an absolute must here and don't skimp on the olive oil either.  The original recipe calls for sherry vinegar, but I used a combination of red wine and champagne vinegars here.  Extra sauce can be refrigerated and works great on a variety of grilled meats.

Also, make sure to use ground beef that is no more than 80-85% lean, usually ground chuck.  Using anything leaner (90%+) will result in dry burgers with no taste.  The fat content is essential here.

Beef sliders with Roasted Garlic Confit and Blue Cheese

1 1/2 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)

1 lb peeled garlic cloves

1 tbsp Chicago or Montreal steak seasoning

1/2 cup olive oil

kosher salt

pepper

blue cheese
1 loaf garlic ciabatta or rolls

Season the beef with the steak seasoning and form into 12 balls of equal size.  Flatten the balls into patties and grill over medium heat 3-4 minutes a side until pink in the middle.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375° F and heat a small oven-safe saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.  Once the oil comes to temperature and begins to shimmer, add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. When the garlic starts to turn golden, place the skillet in the over and roast for 30 minutes until the garlic is nicely browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool.  Once cooled, removed the garlic and mash into a paste, using the remaining oil as necessary to make a smooth mixture.

To serve, place a burger on on piece of ciabatta.  Top with a 1/2 tbsp of the blue cheese and a spoonful of the confit.  Place the other half of the the ciabatta on top and enjoy

Notes:
The roasted garlic confit sounds complicated to make, but it is anything but.  The key is to buy a 16 oz container of peeled garlic, found in the produce section of most supermarkets.  Its a huge time saver.  The sweetness of the garlic combined with the salty tanginess of the blue cheese works wonderfully with the richness of the ground beef.

Turkey Souvlaki Sliders with Tzaziki Sauce
Adapted from Robin Miller/Food Network

1 package ground turkey (about 1-1/3 lb)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed & diced
1 egg yolk
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 16 oz container tzaziki sauce
1 package fresh baby spinach
12 dinner rolls

In a mixing bowl, soak the bread in the buttermilk for 5 minutes and mash into a fine paste.  Beat the egg yolk into the mix and stir to incorporate. Add the spices and mix to incorporate evenly.  Add the ground turkey and mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Using a 2 ounce cookie scoop, portion out the turkey mix into 10-12 balls.  Flatten the balls into patties.  Grill the patties over a medium flame about 3-4 minutes a side.  To serve, slice the rolls in half. Spread each half with tzaziki sauce and layer a few leaves of spinach on the bottom half.  Top with a patty and cover with the other half of the roll.

Notes:
I usually like to make my own tzaziki sauce from scratch using Greek style yogurt, shredded cucumber, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  But because of time constraints, I took a shortcut and bought some at the local supermarket.  And to be honest, it was a pretty good substitute.

Also, I took an idea often used in making meatballs by including the bread and buttermilk.  Commonly referred to as a 'panade', the combination helps to keep the rather lean turkey moist during cooking and prevents the burgers from becoming overly dense at the same time.  it also adds another dimension of flavor.

Turkey Bratwurst Sliders, 'Octoberfest style' with Jaeger Sauce, Sauerkraut and New Potato
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine and Epicurious

1 package ground turkey (about 1-1/3 lb)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed & diced
1 egg yolk
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 new or red potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 package refrigerated sauerkraut
1 package cocktail size pumpernickel bread

Jaeger Sauce (see below)

Arrange the potato slices on a microwave safe plate, brush with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, flipping the slices over halfway through. The slices should be tender to the touch. If they are not tender, microwave longer, 10 seconds at a time, until done.  Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, soak the bread in the buttermilk for 5 minutes and mash into a fine paste. Beat the egg yolk into the mix and stir to incorporate. Add the spices and mix to incorporate evenly. Add the ground turkey and mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Using a 2 ounce cookie scoop, portion out the turkey mix into 10-12 balls.  Flatten the balls into patties.  Grill the patties over a medium flame about 3-4 minutes a side.

To serve, arrange one slice of bread and spoon a bit of the jaeger sauce on it.  Place one slice of potato on top of the sauce and then a patty.  Top the patty with a spoonful of sauerkraut and another slice of bread. If desired, use cocktail toothpicks to hold the slider together.