Worcestershire alternative?

I’m allergic to fish and there’s fish in Worcestershire sauce. Is the flavor absolutely necessary for burgers? Is there an alternative? 

Thanks!

Hi gillyf

Thanks for the question. There are vegetarian Worcestershire sauces that you can use — they do not contain any anchovies or other fish. You could also use soy sauce.

But the Worcestershire sauce isn’t critical so you can leave it out. Maybe use some sea salt to flavor the burgers.

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Hamburgers for World Cup (or maybe Father's Day)

Hey the U.S. World Cup team is hanging in there! We tied Slovenia 2-2.

Eat a hamburger to celebrate. That’s the American favorite.

If not because of the World Cup, maybe for Father’s Day.

Here’s a good basic recipe for a good hamburger. If you can get the ground brisket, mix it with chuck. This mixture is really savory tasting and has enough fat to keep the burger moist but not greasy.

For extras top the burgers with crispy bacon or Guacamole.

The Ultimate Hamburger for World Cup or Father’s Day

20-24 ounces ground chuck or mixture of chuck and brisket

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons grated onion

few drops of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

ice shavings, optional

4 buns

ketchup and/or mayonnaise

8 thin slices Vidalia onion

8 thin slices tomato

slices of kosher dill pickle

Preheat the grill (or oven broiler). Mix the meat with the Worcestershire sauce, onion, hot pepper sauce and some salt and pepper. Shape into four patties. For rare burgers, make an opening at the edge of the patties and stuff a few ice shavings inside. Grill 6-inches from the heat for about 5-8 minutes„ turning them once, or until they reach the doneness you like. Grill the cut sides of the bun for about 30 seconds. Slather one side of each bun with ketchup or ketchup mixed with mayonnaise, Top with the burger, followed by onion, tomato and pickle and finally the last slice of the bun. Makes 4

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Apple Strudel Day

Today is Apple Strudel Day.

Really, there is such a thing.

But it’s hard to find good apple strudel, even in the best bakeries. The crust, which is paper thin, is supposed to be crisp and flaky but most of the time it’s soggy and tastes like wet cardboard.

I remember my grandmother making her own strudel dough. Like a big miracle the little lump of dough became this enormous sheet as she stretched it with her grandma arms until it was paper thin and the size of the kitchen table. Then she put the seasoned apples on top. Her strudel wasn’t too sweet like the cloying kinds you get today. And she never used chopped nuts because she said they got soggy. (They do, so I add ground nuts along with the usual bread crumbs to hold the fruit together and for extra flavor.)

I made strudel dough once. I didn’t have grandma arms then (they come with age, even in an age when grandmas work out three times a week like I do), so I didn’t manage the dough very well. It stretched all right, but some parts were thicker and lumpier than others and there were several holes in the dough. It tasted okay, barely.

It’s also difficult to find authentic strudel dough.

However, you can make good homemade strudel using phyllo dough. It’s not exactly the same as strudel pastry, but it’s good enough.

Some people find phyllo dough intimidating. But if you thaw it at room temperature you’ll see that the dough sheets separate easily and won’t tear. And be sure to keep the ones you’re not using covered.

Here’s a recipe for Homemade Apple Strudel.

Apple Strudel

• 4 baking type apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

• 3/4 cup golden or regular raisins

• 6 tablespoons sugar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon peel

• 1/2 cup ground almonds

• 1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs

• 8 phyllo dough sheets

• 10-12 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, place the apple slices, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel, almonds and 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs. Toss together and set aside. Place one sheet of phyllo dough o a work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with 3 more sheets. Using half the apple mixture, place the fruit on one of the long sides of the dough, placing the mixture to within 1-1/2 inches of the bottom and top edges. Roll the dough, jelly roll style around the apple mixture and place the roll, seam side down, on a cookie sheet. Tuck in the ends. Repeat with the remaining 4 sheets of dough and apple mixture. Brush the top of each roll with any remaining melted butter and scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut pieces with a serrated knife. 

Makes 2 rolls, each serving about 4 people

Fudge Day

Today is National Fudge Day. I was 14 when I first tried to make some, one of the first recipes I ever tried to cook.

Unfortunately, real fudge is almost impossible to make correctly. You have to get the mixture to the right temperature and get sugar crystals perfect otherwise you wind up with a granular mess that crunches like sand in your mouth.

That’s the kind of fudge I made. My recipe improved after a few tries, but with so many good candy shops out there, if I want fudge these days, I buy it. 

I once found out that fudge was first made by a student at Vassar College. Not to be outdone, there was a competitive version by a student at Wellesley College and later, two students there baked a chocolate cake with fudge frosting and it was forever after known as Wellesley Fudge Cake.

I tried that too, with much greater success than the candy. I changed the recipe over the years until I wound up with a version I like.

The cake is much easier to make than fudge, so here’s the recipe, a really rich and delicious cake with creamy, sweet but also tangy frosting. Tasty on Fudge Day or anytime.

Wellesley Fudge Cake

Cake:

2 cups cake flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 9-inch cake pans. In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer), sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk and shortening and beat the ingredients with a hand mixer (or standing mixer) for about 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes (scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice). Spoon the batter into the two prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester or the tip of a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack to cool completely. Frost with Fudge Frosting.

Fudge Frosting

12 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 cup dairy sour cream

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Stir the melted chocolate and remove the top part of the double boiler from the heat. Add the sour cream, salt and vanilla extract and whisk the ingredients until smooth. Let cool slightly until the mixture is spreading consistency.

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Banana Coconut Bread for World Cup

South Africa plays Uruguay in the World Cup today. The food of both countries features bananas and coconut. No matter who you root for, this Banana Coconut Bread is a winner all year long. Try it!

Banana Coconut Bread

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 cup vegetable shortening

• 2 cups sugar

• 4 large very ripe bananas, mashed

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch (8 cups) bundt pan. Mix the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a bowl and hand beater) beat the shortening and sugar together at medium speed until well blended. Add the bananas and beat them in thoroughly. Add the eggs and beat them in thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and beat it in thoroughly. Stir in the coconut. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a cake tester (or the tip of a sharp knife) inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one bread serving 16-18

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Banana Smoothie for World Cup

Honduras, a world leader in banana production, is playing in the World Cup today. Here’s a refreshing, healthy and delicious banana drink to make if you’ll be watching the game (or not).

Banana Smoothie

1 cup plain yogurt

1 ripe sliced banana

3 ice cubes

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the yogurt, banana, ice cubes and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor and process until thick and smooth. Makes one drink

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Cheese Fondue for World Cup

Switzerland’s playing Spain today in the World Cup. Enjoy some Classic Swiss Fondue while you watch.

Swiss Fondue

1 clove garlic, cut in half

1 cup white wine

1 pound grated Swiss cheese

1/2 pound grated Gruyere cheese

1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons Kirsch wine (optional)

Italian bread or baguette

Rub the inside of a fondue pot with the cut side of the garlic. Discard the garlic. Pour the wine in the fondue pot and heat it to a simmer. Toss the cheeses and cornstarch together. Add the cheeses gradually to the simmering wine, stirring to melt the cheese before adding more. When all the cheese has been added and melted, stir in the optional Kirsch wine. Serve with chunks of bread. Makes 10 snack servings

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Coleslaw for World Cup

Americans love coleslaw. It’s one of our favorite salads for sure. But it’s actually a Dutch dish. So if you’re watching or otherwise following the World Cup, how about making this easy coleslaw recipe for the June 14th game between Denmark and the Netherlands. Then you can use the recipe all summer and beyond.

Coleslaw

• 6 cups shredded green cabbage

• 1 large carrot, shredded

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (dairy or non dairy; if you use non-dairy, add a bit more of the apple cider vinegar)

• 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• pinch of sugar

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the cabbage, carrot and parsley in a bowl and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and toss ingredients. Taste and add remaining vinegar if needed. Makes 6-8 servings

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Cucumber Salad for World Cup

Denmark and the Netherlands play each other in the World Cup on June 14th. Here’s a recipe that would be terrific as a side dish if you will be watching the game. It’s also a wonderful summer salad that goes with grilled meat, fish or poultry.

Danish Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1 small sweet Vidalia type onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Place the cucumbers and onion in a bowl. Toss ingredients to distribute ingredients evenly. In another bowl, mix the white wine vinegar, yogurt, brown sugar, salt and dill. Pour over the vegetables and toss ingredients. Let marinate for at least one hour. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Makes 6-8 servings

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