Growing up, memorial day was never anything important to me. It was just another bank holiday that might parents might also have off. Perhaps we'd go out on the boat or have a barbeque. I never really thought about what memorial day meant or who it was for. I had no experience with war or veterans or their widows. I knew no people who had died or had loved ones die in wars. Vietnam and Korea were way before my time. And even after the craziness started and hubby earned his veteran's status, I still didn't think about memorial day. For some reason, that changed this year. And I didn't light a candle or say any prayers, but I did spend the day thinking about those of my generation who have died and will die so far from home. And it might seem silly, but in a way, I prepared this meal thinking of them, honoring them in my own little way. Doc Kent. Collinsworth. Myles Sebastien. These are the men that make memorial day mean something to me.
So. I try to keep this blog about cooking, but sometimes things will come through. But now on to the food..
When you think of memorial day, what comes to mind? You can say it.. barbeque.. burgers.. grilled meaty goodness. Well, I lack a grill, but I just wouldn't let that stop me. Mom used to cook burgers on the stove top in her big cast iron skillet (man I need one of those!!) so I used Cathie Cooks Food's recipe for Turkey and Parmesan Turkey Burgers. Sounds tasty, right?
They are super simple and moderately tasty - I usually find things could use a little more kick. Just mix:
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg
salt and pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
After mixing, form patties. I made 8 thin patties instead of the thicker ones Cathie made. Either grill the burgers for a few minutes each side or heat a very small amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then cook the burgers for about 4-5 minutes on each side. They should brown nicely.
I thought the burgers would be tasty served with mozzarella. It was. Lettuce was also a nice complement.
To accompany the burgers, I made potato salad (maybe a recipe for that later..I do it all by taste and look) and green beans. Yum.
Now, I felt dessert was a must and I had made up my mind to make some strawberry rhubarb crisp. Rhubarb intrigues me and I really wanted to cook with it while I still have the opportunity - I could never find it back home. A TasteSpotting search brought up a recipe for Cardamom scented Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp from half baked. Tasty tasty. Did I mention I'd only had a crisp once before, and it was a bite of a rhubarb crisp that my friend's grandmother had sent her? So I had no experience. Luckily, crisps are easy-peasy.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp:
Crisp
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cardamom
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Filling
1 pound (4-5 medium stalks) rhubarb, trimmed and peeled
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat oven to 350F. Place a 9 inch (or 8 as that's what I have) glass baking dish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This is just in case there are any spills. You wouldn't want delicious strawberry goo all over your oven, would you?
In a large bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, oats, ginger, salt, and cinnamon. Make sure you don't have any clumps of anything. Add melted butter, and stir ingredients until they are thoroughly moistened. Spoon half of the mixture into the pan and press it down to form a crusty base.
Slice the rhubarb into 1/2 inch wide pieces and scatter them across the crisp base. "Dissolve" the cornstarch in the cold water and set aside (note, the cornstarch will not actually dissolve). Combine the strawberries, sugar, and ginger in a medium-large saucepan and crush the berries. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a full boil, stirring occasionally.
Give the cornstarch-water mixture a good stir to get it all combined again, then whisk that into the strawberry mixture. Bring back to a boil and boil for about 3 minutes, until it is thick and no longer cloudy. It should be a gorgeous shade of red.
Pour the strawberry mixture over the rhubarb. Sprinkle remaining crisp over the filling.
Bake for 60 minutes or until top is golden and the strawberriness bubbles up on the edges. Place on a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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