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Oven-Fried Chicken Sliders with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

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I mean, it’s the Super Bowl! You gotta have a super lit appetizer for the big game, right? I wouldn’t steer you wrong — have I ever? So, let’s discuss these little bundles of joy. Everything you see here is a magical concoction of pure deliciousness. The slider buns? Homemade! I used this recipe and basically divided them into 8 dough balls instead of one big loaf. Baked it on a regular baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until they were done. The poblano-cabbage slaw? LIT! Enjoyably spicy, tangy, sweet, acidic — perfection. The crispy fried onions? Necessary! They lend a sweet and savory crunch that blend well with everything. The oven-fried chicken? Juicy and blissful. Look…make these damn sliders.

Oven Fried Chicken Sliders Oven Fried Chicken Sliders

The great thing about this recipe is that everything can be prepared a day ahead. All you have to do the day of is cook the chicken — or just reheat it in the oven!

If you choose to brine your chicken for longer than 24 hours, please use just 1 tsp of kosher salt for the whole bunch, as the two tablespoons I used for a 2-hour brine would be too much for a longer soak. You run the risk of the chicken being too salty. You can season the chicken brine with whatever you want! There are no rules to this recipe, it’s just about technique. So feel free to switch up the flavors to suit your needs. A great addition to the slaw would be roasted corn — which I would have added but didn’t have on hand. Try it! You can make the aioli up to 2 days in advance. The slaw can be made up to 2 days in advance. The rolls can be made a day ahead if you choose to make them from scratch, just make sure you keep them fresh in an airtight container or ziploc bag until needed. Toast them up and assemble your crew.

Oven Fried Chicken Sliders Oven Fried Chicken Sliders

I’m gonna give you measurements based on what I used, but please understand that this isn’t really a recipe and that ingredient amounts will always vary based on how many people you’re feeding. If you use smaller rolls, you could get even more sandwiches out of this recipe. It’s totally up in the air and there’s no right or wrong way to execute it. Enjoy!

Equipment used:

Julienne Peeler
http://amzn.to/1KvGeXC

V-slice Mandoline
http://amzn.to/1nSR3sO

Candy/Oil Thermometer
http://amzn.to/1KvGrtQ

Bread Knife
http://amzn.to/1X9kUsJ

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Oven-Fried Chicken Sliders with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
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Ingredients

Oven Fried Chicken:

  • 6 regular sized chicken tenderloins
  • 3/4 cup apple cider
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • season chicken with kosher salt, black pepper, herbes de provence, granulated garlic & onion, and smoked paprika
  • to bread the chicken:
  • 40% seasoned panko bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 60% plain corn flakes, crushed finely

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli:

  • 1 jarred roasted red pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 3 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
  • season with a pinch of kosher salt, smoked paprika, cayenne
  • cilantro, finely chopped

Buttermilk Onions:

  • 1 medium onion (yellow, white, or red), thinly sliced
  • 1 cup buttermilk, or enough to cover it in a bowl
  • 1 cup flour + 2 tbsp your favorite pre-made seasoning blend, mixed well
  • *oil for frying

Poblano & Cabbage Slaw:

  • 1 cup red cabbage, thinly shredded
  • 1 cup carrot, julienned
  • 1/2 cup poblano pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, more as needed
  • 3 tbsp honey or agave
  • kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Please see video for cooking instructions. Everything can be made at least 1 day ahead.
  2. Use this recipe to make slider buns. Instead of making 1 large loaf, just divide the dough into 8-12 round balls and bake on a baking sheet in a 400-425 degree oven until golden brown.
  3. The chicken gets baked in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. It can be reheated in a 400 degree oven the next day until warmed thru.
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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Thanksgiving Turkey Burger

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I literally sat in bed this morning with my sweety and concocted this burger in my head. I knew the flavors would be amazing and I didn’t let myself down, because this is probably one of my top 5 favorite burgers I’ve ever made. Ever. It’s really amazing. I know you want the low-down on how to make it, so let’s get right to it.

The flavors going on here. My GAWD! This is a burger you will continue to taste way after you’ve demolished it. It’s SO flavorful. There’s orange and rum in the cranberry sauce, sage and thyme in the turkey, delicious applewood-smoked bacon, creamy melty brie, crispy onions flavored with cayenne and sea salt, and that fried sage adds such a nice touch. Oh my goodness. Man, look..

The CarnalDish Thanksgiving Turkey Burger

I made this because I’m actually not preparing the entire Thanksgiving meal by myself this year. I’m flying back home to Virginia to eat my mom’s wonderful food. But I wanted the flavors of thanksgiving without all of the work, and this is what I came up with. This burger satisfies every part of your palate. Sweet, salty, crispy, creamy, and did I mention how incredibly delicious this is? Because…it is. I repeat, this is delicious. Also, these burgers are huge. You are basically making third-pounders. I mean, it’s Thanksgiving, go big or go back to sleep.

My boyfriend doesn’t even like cranberry sauce but he destroyed this. Why? Because I know what the hell I’m doing lol. Now he loves cranberry sauce and wants to put it on everything. “I can’t believe I’ve been missing out all these years”, yes baby, you have. I guarantee if you’re one of those people weirded out by cranberry sauce, give this recipe a try. I bet you’ll warm up to it the next time someone passes it around at the table. Just make sure it isn’t that god-awful tube shaped jelly crap with the can ridges. REAL cranberry sauce always wins!

Get yourself some ground turkey that is 85% lean. You could go leaner, but I cannot promise the same results lol. It will be delicious, but I’m not sure how juicy it’ll be because that’s not what I did — but I always encourage you to make things “your own”, so do you. We’re going to add a few things to this ground turkey because that’s how I roll, and that’s how you’re now forced to roll. I don’t leave anything unseasoned — that’s just a bad idea. Ground turkey is one of those things that can really take a lot of different flavors because it’s so naturally bland, unlike beef. It’s a total blank canvas just waiting for you to get your culinary Bob Ross on. The type of bun for this burger is totally up to you. We just so happened to have some seasame-seed potato buns so I used those, but this would be UNREAL on a toasted brioche bun. Alternately, you could make this a breakfast sandwich and just replace the ground turkey with turkey sausage, and maybe a cornmeal biscuit as the “bun”.

The CarnalDish Thanksgiving Turkey Burger

My stars..

Don’t wait any longer. Make this now. It’s a great prelude to one of the most delicious Holidays ever — Thanksgiving. My personal Christmas. I adore food, so it’s always going to be my favorite time of year. Your house will smell amazing while you make this. Enjoy 🙂

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Thanksgiving Turkey Burger

  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 3 big burgers
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Description

© CarnalDish

Ingredients

Cranberry sauce:

  • 1 lb fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • juice from half an orange
  • splash of rum
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • a pinch of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • coarse sea salt

Onion straws:

  • 1/2 onion, sliced into thin rings (I used a mandoline)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (feel free to use less)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika (regular paprika will work)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

Turkey Burgers:

  • 1 lb. ground turkey (85% lean)
  • 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped fine, plus 8-12 whole sage leaves for frying
  • generous pinch of red pepper flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • sea salt
  • 6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked to desired crispness
  • Brie cheese
  • dijon mustard and mayo
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 hamburger buns (type of bun is totally up to you)

Instructions

For the cranberry sauce:

  1. In a saucepan over high heat, dissolve the sugar into the water. Add the cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, orange juice, rum, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and bring to a rapid boil. Stir occasionally until mixture has cooked down to desired consistency. This can take anywhere between 12-20 minutes, depending on how you like your cranberry sauce. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes. When you’ve reached your desired consistency, remove from heat and add the orange zest. Mix everything together and set aside to cool slightly.

For the onion straws:

  1. Soak the onion rings in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Mix the flour, baking powder, and remaining seasonings together. Place the buttermilk soaked onions into the flour mixture. Don’t let too much of the buttermilk drip off the onions before flouring them because this is what will give us a nice crust. Dredge the onions into the flour mixture well to make sure they are evenly coated. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for about 20 minutes to let the flour set and adhere. Heat the vegetable oil to 360 degrees, and fry the onions until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from fryer to drain on a paper towel and immediately season with sea salt.

For the burgers:

  1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Mix the ground turkey, worcestershire, melted butter, fresh herbs, and seasonings in a large bowl until evenly combined. Form the mixture into 3 equal sized patties. I use a large biscuit cutter to help form my patties and keep them from turning into meatballs. If you experience this problem, use this method.
  3. In a large oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat, just until you start to see wisps of smoke (if it’s totally smoking, you’ve gone too far). Place each patty into the skillet and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. DO NOT PRESS DOWN ON YOUR BURGER! We don’t want all of that delicious flavor to seep out and leave us with a dry patty. While the burgers are cooking, place the whole sage leaves into the oil inside of the pan so they can fry up crisp, about 2 minutes.
  4. Remove skillet from heat and let’s start building this monster.
  5. Separate and butter the insides of your hamburger buns lightly. Toast them in the 400 degree oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn. Remove and set aside.
  6. With the burgers still in the skillet, place the bacon on top of the burger first. Then top with creamy brie cheese. Place the skillet into the oven on the middle rack so that the cheese can melt beautifully and dramatically, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pull the skillet out of the oven, and pile on the crispy onions and 3 to 4 fried sage leaves per burger.
  7. Spread cranberry sauce on the bottom bun and put the burger on top of that. Then spread a thin layer of mayo and dijon mustard on the top bun. Get some napkins, eat this baby, and try not to slap anyone.
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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

The Big K.R.I.T. “KING” Burger

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This is dedicated to someone who’s music has forever changed my life…

Big KRIT performing

His name is Justin Scott, but you may know him as Big K.R.I.T. (KRIT is an acronym for “king remembered in time”). He’s an incredibly sweet, humble young man from Mississippi who’s unreal talent and passion for music has grabbed me by the proverbial balls and is showing no signs of letting go in the near future. Nobody in hip-hop has really impacted me like KRIT has since Wu Tang, Outkast, Biggie..you know, all of the greats I grew up on (yes, I’m old). This man makes the kinda music that you feel deep down in your gut — it’s soulful and real and very vulnerable. He’s a storyteller, and a great one. He produces his own music, he writes, and he raps. He makes jams that’ll make you think, jams that’ll make you cry, and jams that’ll move your booty. He absolutely loves and appreciates his fans, and treats them like real people, which a lot of artists just don’t know how to do. There are over 20 emotions I’ve experienced listening to his music, which is why I’m so loyal. I’m a fan for life. If you can invade my head and heart the way KRIT has, I’m basically all yours. Lastly, to make matters even better, he’s got that super sexy southern drawl that I am a complete sucker for. Yes, I am a proud KRIT “stan”. Hell, at least he knows who I am….hi, KRIT 🙂

So, here’s a delicious sandwich…a rather massive, delicious sandwich — fit for a king. Oh, by the way his logo is a “crown” and he refers to himself as a king, so dammit…this is The Big KRIT “KING” Burger.

I know you’re looking at this sandwich like “How in the hell am I supposed to fit that in my mouth?”, well it’s easy — make a slider version 😉

I was asked by the head mamabear of Big KRIT’s fan club to create a burger inspired by him. So, I basically said “Hell yea!” and this is what I came up with — a variation of a surf-n-turf burger. I know for a fact he loves steak and shrimp, so that’s what this burger is all about. I threw on some onion rings made from Spanish yellow onions (the best!), which were such a delicious contrast to all of the other flavors going on here. I asked KRIT if he liked bacon, and he told me he did…so I almost put that on the sandwich but I figured I’d chill because there’s already a lot going on here lol. I carved a crown shaped onion ring and put that on top of the burger, but it kept falling off lol. To celebrate the fact he’s a country boy, I made sweet potato fries with a sriracha-mayo dipping sauce — can I honestly tell you that was my favorite part of the meal? Everything came together so perfectly, I’m proud of this, and very happy that KRIT also approves. Now I just gotta figure out a way to actually get this burger in his mouth…

Big K.R.I.T. is dropping his first official album early next year, but in the meantime, wait for another free album dropping very soon called #4evaNaDay. The two albums that made me fall in love were Krit Wuz Here and Return of 4eva (also affectionately known as R4). Go download both from iTunes, your ears will thank you.

Here’s my favorite KRIT video…this one speaks volumes about just what kind of man he really is. How could you not love him??

 

I didn’t take a bunch of pics this time around because I’ve used the same preparation techniques that I’ve posted in earlier recipes.

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
an onion ring fit for a king

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
the others, about to be soaked in buttermilk for an hour

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
NY strip steak ground up

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
2 thin, large patties

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
the makings of the arugla-pesto mayo with capers

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
done. keep this in a container in your fridge for up to 5 days.

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger
epic.

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger

The Big KRIT "KING" Burger

I bet you can’t finish it all. I shared it with a friend and we both left a good 1/3 of it left. It’s truly massive but incredibly delicious. Make a slider version if you’d like!

I love you, Krizzle…thanks for the music…K4L

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The Big K.R.I.T. “King” Burger

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 40 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 2
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Description

copyright CarnalDish

Ingredients

For the burgers:

  • 1 lb ground NY strip steak
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 8 slices gruyere or provolone cheese, 2 slices per patty
  • 4 slices of tomato (I used beefsteak)
  • 1 large handful of arugula or leafy lettuce of choice
  • 2 hamburger buns, toasted (I used crusty vienna rolls)

seasoning for the burgers (this can vary, use whatever you want)

For the shrimp:

  • 8 jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined, tails removed
  • ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ⅓ cup italian bread crumbs
  • ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • Oil for frying

For the onion rings:

  • 1 large spanish yellow onion, sliced into rings
  • 1 qt. (4 cups) low-fat cultured buttermilk, or regular milk
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Oil for frying

For the arugula-pesto mayo with capers:

  • ¾ cup mayo
  • 2 to 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup packed arugula
  • ¼ cup fresh italian parsley
  • 1 tbsp prepared pesto
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the broiler on your oven.

For the arugula-pesto mayo with capers:

  1. Place all of the ingredients for the arugula-pesto mayo with capers into a food processor, and blend until creamy. Transfer to a small container and place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of your meal. When ready to eat, slather it on both sides of your toasted bun before building your burger.

For the burgers:

  1. Season the beef with the heavy cream, olive oil, worcestershire, and other seasonings. Divide the ground NY strip into 4 large thin patties, about a quarter of an inch thick and set to the side. Place a heavy bottom skillet (cast iron is great) over medium-high heat. Drizzle about a tbsp of olive oil into the pan and when the oil starts shimmering, you’ll know its hot enough. Cook 2 patties at a time, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Repeat until all patties are cooked. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place 2 slices of cheese on top of each patty and set under the broiler on the lowest rack of your oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Don’t take your eyes off this, it melts pretty quickly. Stack 2 patties on top of each other, making 2 large double cheeseburgers and pile with the rest of the fixin’s.

For the shrimp:

  1. Heat about 3 inches of oil (I used vegetable) in a large pot (I used a cast-iron dutch oven) to 375 degrees. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine the egg, heavy cream (or milk), salt, pepper, old bay, cayenne pepper and paprika in a small dish. In a separate dish or ziploc bag, combine both the panko and italian bread crumbs. Place the flour in another separate dish or ziploc bag. You should now have a breading station set up in this order: flour, egg mixture, bread crumbs. Coat each shrimp with the flour and shake off the excess. Dunk it into the egg mixture ensuring it’s fully coated, let the excess drip off, then toss the shrimp into the bread crumbs. Make sure you press the crumbs into the shrimp so that they stick. Fry the shrimp until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, then place 4 shrimp on top of each Big KRIT “King” Burger.

For the onion rings:

  1. Soak the raw onion rings in buttermilk or milk, for at least one hour in the refrigerator. Mix together the flour, seasoned salt, dried parsley, cayenne pepper, and paprika into a medium bowl or large ziploc bag. After an hour, remove the onion rings from the buttermilk and immediately coat them with the flour mixture. You can do this in batches. Make sure they’re fully coated with flour, then fry them all in 375 degree oil (you can use the same oil you used for the shrimp) for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and season them with a little salt immediately out of the fryer. Place on top of your Big KRIT “King” Burger.

Assembly:

  1. Slather the mayo mixture on your buns, then pile some arugula or other leafy green lettuce of choice on top, then your double patties. Next top with the onion rings, then the shrimp, the tomatoes and top it off. You’ll have two monster Big KRIT burgers that will feed two extremely hungry people. Great for sharing. Serve alongside sweet potato fries with sriracha-mayo for dipping. Delicious.

Notes

Time everything as best you can so that everything is done at the same time. You can make the arugula-pesto mayo way ahead of time. The onion rings can soak hours in advance as well. Fry your onion rings and shrimp in the same pot (but not at the same time). If I were you I’d fry the onion rings first, then the shrimp. Leave the tails off the shrimp so that you don’t eat them, I only left them on so you can tell what they were. If you want, you could turn this recipe into 4 single patty burgers instead of 2 massive double-cheeseburgers. Just place two pieces of fried jumbo shrimp on each sandwich instead of four. Again, you could make a slider version of this so it’s easier to eat, haha!

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

All American Bacon Cheeseburger & Garlic Fries

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Burgers are my loves. I make pretty good ones, if I do say so myself. I wanted a juicy burger with simple flavors and simple technique. I wanted something reminiscent of my childhood, but amped up to satisfy my adult palate. Here’s my take on an American classic…

This might be the most simple burger recipe I’ll ever post. I love complex and super flavorful burgers, but sometimes I just want something easy and quick — but still very yummy. I made this entire dish in less than a half hour, so it’s great for when you’re tired after work and whatnot.

The only thing missing on this burger were pickles. I didn’t have any, so I didn’t use them…but I’ve made this burger in the past with pickles and it really adds something amazeballs to it. I never liked pickles on my burgers as a kid, but the older I get, the more I love’em. If you have pickles, please feel free to slap’em on this baby because you’ll really be sent thru the moon. Even without the pickles, you’ll be shot to the moon so everybody wins 🙂

Because I was only serving myself, I put my fries and bacon on the same baking sheet. My fries soaked up some of the bacon fat and crisped up so nicely in the oven. You can prepare yours this way, or just fry your bacon on top of the stove but make sure you save some of that delicious bacon fat and drizzle it over your fries so they can be great. They’re deliciously seasoned with garlic and the complimenting flavor of lemon-pepper that will give you a total mouthgasm.

One thing to note…when you’re forming your patties, don’t be shy about making them a little larger than usual. Meat shrinks up when it cooks, so make them nice and big to avoid having a Chips Ahoy-sized burger on a large bun lol. The amount of fries you cook is entirely up to you, but I gave you measurements for a smaller amount (like 2 large handfuls), so adjust as necessary.

Classic All American Bacon Cheeseburger & Garlic Fries

Classic All American Bacon Cheeseburger & Garlic Fries

Classic All American Bacon Cheeseburger & Garlic Fries

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All American Bacon Cheeseburger & Fries

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Ingredients

Patties:

  • 1 lb ground beef NY Strip Steak, (will make four ¼lb, three ⅓lb. or two ½lb. burgers)
  • 1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • sea or kosher salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

  • American cheese, 2 slices per burger
  • Hickory or applewood smoked bacon, 3 slices per burger
  • 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced (rest each slice between a paper towel to soak up excess liquid if necessary)
  • 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
  • Lettuce
  • Pickles (optional)
  • Creole mustard (spicy mustard)
  • Mayo
  • 2 to 4 large crusty rolls, I used vienna rolls
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • coarse sea or kosher salt (optional)

For the fries:

  • Frozen straight cut fries (quantity is up to you)
  • 1 tsp lemon-pepper
  • ½ tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 to 2 tbsp reserved bacon fat
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450° degrees with a large foil lined baking sheet on the lowest oven rack. Let the baking sheet get nice and hot for about 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, season your ground NY Strip Steak with the worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and form into patties. Don’t overhandle or overmix the ground beef because it will become tough. Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of each patty and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, fry your bacon until crisp and reserve the bacon fat in a separate glass bowl or container and set aside. Alternatively, you could cook your bacon in the oven either on the same baking dish as your fries or on a separate one.
  4. Remove baking sheet from oven and CAREFULLY place frozen fries in a single layer on the baking sheet, don’t clump them together and make sure they each have space to crisp up and aren’t touching. Be careful because the baking sheet will be extremely hot. Place fries into the oven for about 5 minutes to defrost, then remove the fries from the oven and sprinkle them with the lemon-pepper, granulated garlic and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat. Toss them around to make sure they’re evenly seasoned and coated. Place them back in the oven and allow them to cook an additional 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
  5. Meanwhile, drizzle a tablespoon of oil into your skillet over medium-high heat and cook your burger patties for about 5 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160° degrees. DO NOT PRESS YOUR BURGERS WITH YOUR SPATULA! That will cause them to dry out. Only flip once! Turn off the heat and top each burger with 2 slices of American cheese and cover the skillet with a lid or use aluminum foil to tent over the burgers. The residual heat will melt the cheese.
  6. While the cheese is melting, brush a very thin layer of olive oil over the tops of your buns and sprinkle a tiny bit of coarse salt on top for texture (optional). Toast in a super hot oven or toaster until golden brown. Slather the spicy mustard and mayo inside both halves, and assemble your burger.
  7. When the fries are done, sprinkle them with a little salt to taste and serve immediately.
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Enjoy 😉

Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Steak & Cheese Sandwich with Crispy Onions and Arugula-Pesto Mayo

3 Comments

Ohhh dear. What can I even say to possibly convey the deliciousness that rests within this post? I don’t even know. Just trust me when I say that this was an incredible sandwich. Simple, easy, and bursting with flavor. If you’re a fan of cow, you’ve gotta try this.

I have been craving cow for weeks. Weeks! Beef is my buddy but I don’t like to eat too much of it too often, so I help myself to it once a month or so if possible. I looked thru my fridge, saw that I had some pesto paste, arugula, and provolone…then I said to myself, “Yup, it’s steak sandwich time”. I ran to Wegmans and picked up two absurdly large cuts of New York Strip Steak — one of my favorite cuts ever. It’s so juicy and tender…and huge. Y’all know I love big meat 😀

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries

This isn’t a “philly cheesesteak”, folks. It’s just a steak and cheese sandwich lol. The flavors of this sandwich are very complimentary and simple, but very robust. The peppery arugula gets blended with a creamy mayo, which is then cut with the bright flavors of fresh lemon juice and a concentrated pesto paste, which helps intensify the overall flavor. When slathered on crusty ciabatta rolls, followed by tender juicy slices of steak and yummy melted provolone cheese, crispy onions (which provide a hint of sweetness) and more fresh peppery arugula?? Man, listen…sooooo good!

I chose ciabatta rolls because they develop a very nice crusty exterior while remaining soft and tender on the inside. It’s not that annoying chewy baguette’like bread that makes a sandwich difficult to eat. You know how you bite into certain types of bread and have to literally gnaw like a beaver just to fully release a bite? The bread that is tough and makes you look like some sort of neanderthal with zero home-training? You won’t have that problem with the ciabatta. I love it, it’s perfect. I do love a good baguette, just not for sandwiches like this lol.

Just make this sandwich already. Great for game day, or any day. Feel your tastebuds poplock like they’re at Studio 54. I bit into it, and angels sang. Every bite was effortless, and full of amazing things. You’ll definitely enjoy it.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Onions sliced as thin as possible

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
This takes practice, don’t cut yourself trying to do something you’re not used to. Cut them as thin as YOU can get them 😉

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
The makings of the perfect sandwich spread

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
This stuff is to die for! So fragrant, so flavorful, and so delicious with the steak

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Onions tossed in the seasoned flour, ready to be fried

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
HUGE cut of NY Strip. I cut this into two, but you can do whatever you want lol.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Steak, trimmed of excess fat, halved, and beat up

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Seasoned steak!

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Oh, btw…these are the only four seasonings I used for the steak and it came out perfect and so juicy and tender.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Ciabatta rolls, ready to be toasted

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Sear that sucker for about 5 minutes per side

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Fry those onion straws up!

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Look at that crust! This is exactly what you wanna go for. The key is to leave it alone once you place it into the pan. Don’t move it around and whatnot.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
She’s done. She’s resting. Let the meat relax a bit so that you don’t lose all that delicious juice swimming around inside.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Yum!!

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Slice your steak into thin strips like so, and pile onto the lower half of your ciabatta roll.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Line a baking sheet with foil and place a slice of your favorite cheese on top.

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Broil on the lowest oven rack until the cheese begins to melt, this will happen very quickly!

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries
Awwww yea!

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries

Seared Steak Sandwich with Garlic Parmesan Fries

Oh my goodness…just…hold me, please?

Those are regular fries tossed with a bit of garlic infused oil, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, salt, pepper and dried herbs. Ay yi yi!

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Seared Steak & Cheese Sandwich

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Ingredients

  • 1 strip steak, cut into two pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small loaves of ciabatta bread, sliced
  • 2 slices of provolone cheese (use any cheese you’d like)
  • Fresh arugula
  • Crispy onion straws (recipe follows)
  • Arugla-Pesto Mayo (recipe follows)

Steak seasoning suggestions:

  • ¼ to ½ tsp sea salt, per side
  • ¼ to ½ tsp black pepper, per side
  • ¼ to ½ tsp chili powder, per side
  • 1 tsp McCormick Garlic & Onion Grillmates seasoning, per side

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Cut your steak into two pieces. Trim off any excess fat from your steaks, and pound with a meat tenderizer to break down the steak so it’s nice and juicy. I improvised and used a rolling pin, the base of my chef knife, then poked holes into the meat with a fork — whatever works! You don’t want it paper thin, just nice and tender and not so “tight”.
  3. Season with the suggested seasonings, or use whatever you have in your pantry. Set aside to rest.
  4. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in the olive oil. You’ll be able to tell when the pan is nice and hot because the oil will immediately start to glisten once it hits the pan. If it starts smoking, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool down for a minute or two. You don’t wanna burn your house down, but you do want a nice hot pan so that the steak develops a nice crust.
  5. Place your steak into the skillet and leave it alone — meaning, don’t move it around once it hits the pan. Let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes per side.
  6. Remove from heat and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 to 15 minutes before you slice into it.
  7. Meanwhile, toast your ciabatta rolls in your hot oven until crusty, about 5 minutes or so. You’ll know its ready when it’s lightly browned and hard when you tap your fingernail against it. Ciabatta develops a crunchy exterior while maintaining a tender middle. Remove from oven and turn on your broiler.
  8. Slice your steaks against the grain into thin strips, so that it’s easier to eat.
  9. Slather the arugula-pesto mayo on both sides of the roll, then place the sliced steak on top. Followed by the cheese.
  10. When the broiler is nice and hot, slide your sandwich under it on the lowest rack of your oven, while keeping the oven door slightly opened. The cheese will melt very quickly so don’t take your eyes off it. Once the cheese has melted down to your liking, remove and finish assembling the sandwich with the crispy onion straws, and fresh arugula.
  11. Serve with your favorite side and enjoy!
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Crispy Onion Straws

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Ingredients

  • 1 yellow or sweet vidalia onion, sliced into thin rings
  • 2 cups buttermilk, or enough to cover the rings once sliced
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ½ tbsp seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • canola or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Cut the onion as thinly as you can into rings. It’s ok if they’re not complete rings.
  2. Separate the rings into a small bowl or dish, and cover with buttermilk. Just enough so that each ring is wet with the buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
  3. Mix the flour and seasonings until combined.
  4. Remove your rings from the buttermilk, and throw them into the flour mixture. Toss until each ring is thoroughly coated. Let the onions hang out in the flour mixture for about 5 minutes. This just ensures an even coating, and prevents most of the flour from floating off into the oil.
  5. When ready to fry, heat your oil to 375 degrees. When the oil is ready, gently place the rings into the hot oil, shaking off any excess flour, and allow to fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. The thinner the onions are sliced, the quicker this will take.
  6. Drain on paper towels and lightly season with a tiny bit of salt while they’re still hot, if desired.
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Arugula-Pesto Mayo

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh arugula, tightly packed
  • ½ cup mayo
  • 1 tbsp pesto paste, or prepared pesto in a jar
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp garlic paste, or 2 cloves of minced garlic
  • Salt, Pepper and Lemon pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, add all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Pulse a few times to get it going, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
  2. If you don’t have a food processor, chop the arugula as finely as you can, then mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Allow this mixture to chill in the refrigerator for at least a half hour, so that all of the flavors come together.
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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

The Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

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We’re in the middle of Hurricane Irene here in Northern Virginia, and she’s blowing pretty hard and bringing a crapload of rain with her. It’s only appropriate that we devour a turkey burger as moist as the weather is right now. The only time I’ve ever had a dry turkey burger might have been all those frozen Jenny-O turkey patties. They just…nah..those won’t do lol. However, when creating my own turkey burger, I’ve never had an issue with dryness. I learned how to make a “slap-ya-mama” juicy turkey burger many years ago and I’ve kept up the practice. I also do this with regular beef. You too, can successfully build a moist, juicy and extremely flavorful turkey burger in the privacy of your own home, and here’s how…

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Ground turkey is usually very lean, which means a lot of the fat is removed from it and if not cooked correctly, you can end up with a burger dryer than a Dane Cook comedy special. So let’s try to avoid that, shall we? The ground turkey I used was from Shady Brook (93% lean, 7% fat) and it still came out stupid juicy! Full of flavor, tender, just….a mouthful of perfection, especially coupled with the other very yummy ingredients. You’ll be pleased with this burger, and it’s a rather basic recipe that you can definitely tweak to your liking, and add your own favorite seasonings and toppings. Think of this recipe as your “starting point”, really do it big and make it your own.

I’ve always liked adding a little heavy cream to burgers and meatloaves because it really tenderizes the meat and makes it  rich. It’s basically pure fat so, that’s probably why haha! You don’t have to add it in if you don’t have it, but I encourage you to try it one day. It really does something special to it. I topped this burger with the usual suspects, grilled red onion, tomato, bacon, cheddar and arugula, but you can do WHATEVER you want here. This burger will go well with many different toppings, so don’t feel forced to use exactly what I did. This is just about the meat today, and this burger will melt in your mouth — I promise.

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

Ummm, hello? Do you SEE how juicy this baby is?? Oh my goodness…this is not a game!

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The Juiciest Turkey Burger Ever

  • Yield: about 6 burgers
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey (93/7)
  • 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs (add a little more if needed, can use plain)

Seasoning suggestions:

  • 1 tsp garlic paste (or 2 small garlic cloves chopped)
  • 1 tsp chili paste
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 2 tsp dried cilantro (optional)
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • chili powder, to taste
  • onion powder, to taste
  • cayenne pepper, to taste
  • granulated garlic, to taste
  • McCormick Grillmates Montreal Steak, and Hamburger seasoning blends, to taste (optional)
  • dash of cumin (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Use as much or as little of the un-measured seasonings as you’d like, roughly between a half to full teaspoon of each. Just try to use your best judgement. Remember ground turkey is slightly more bland than beef, so you can kinda get away with adding so many different flavors here. You don’t have to use ALL of the seasonings I used, but definitely use what you have. These are merely suggestions.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. I let mine marinate for about 4 hours.
  3. When ready to cook, heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  4. Form your patties about 1 1/2 inches thick. They will be tender to form, so be gentle. Lightly pinch the middle of the patty together to make an indentation. This prevents the middle from rising as much and giving you a rounded burger instead of a flatter one. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until juices are clear of any pink.
  5. DO NOT PRESS YOUR BURGERS WITH YOUR SPATULA!!!!!
  6. Remove skillet from heat and top with the cheese of your choice. Cover the pan to allow the residual heat to melt the cheese.
  7. Toast your buns, gather your other toppings and build the juiciest turkey burger ever.
  8. Enjoy!
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I didn’t slather this burger with ketchup or mustard, it doesn’t need it…but I did whip up a flavored mayo and applied a very thin layer of that, because it didn’t need much of that either. That’s how insanely juicy and flavorful this burger is. Enjoy.

Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Heavenly Bacon Mushroom Swiss Burger

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I’ve made a lot of burgers. Lots. They’re always delicious. But this one here? This one is my personal favorite. I didn’t wanna share the recipe, to be honest. It was that delicious! I bit into it, and seriously felt like I was being embraced by Jesus himself. I had to put it down and just shake my head like, wow, did I really make this?? I sure as hell did, and you can to 😉

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

I made these burgers for July 4th, and I’ll spare you any “firework” metaphors but this sandwich is pretty damn magical, I must say. You’ll bite into it and immediately hear is the first 10 seconds of Big KRIT’s Sookie Now, followed by a vicious shoulder jig of approval. It’s simply everything. Juicy, orgasmic, flavorful, tender, orgasmic, tear-inducing…did I say orgasmic? You might even ignore your fries like I did. Shiitake mushrooms are definitely my favorite. They take on a very smokey, almost bacon’y flavor that you just have to experience for yourself. If you think you hate mushrooms, I implore you to try these. They’re delicious, just give them a chance.

I have to say it once again, this is NOT a burger you want to smother in “America’s Condiment of Choice” aka ketchup. Don’t insult me, don’t insult this amazing burger by putting basic condiments on it. You don’t need it. The garlic “aoili” really sets this burger off and compliments it perfectly. I wouldn’t recommend skipping it.

No, I’m serious…put the damn ketchup down. Now 😐

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

Bacon Mushroom Swiss burger recipe

You’re hungry. I can tell by the proverbial drool hanging from your bottom lip. I know it looks amazeballs but have a little dignity 😉

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Onion Rings

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Description

These onion rings are slightly switched up from the ones I made with the “Big Meech Burger”. I didn’t double coat them, and I used a few other ingredients. These are also very amazing.

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow or vidalia onion, sliced into rings
  • 1 qt buttermilk
  • ¼ to ½ cup hot sauce
  • 2 cups of flour
  • ¾ cup corn meal
  • ½ cup japanese bread crumbs (panko)
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • Loads of different seasonings, such as seasoned salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne, about 1 tsp each

Instructions

  1. In a bowl or shallow dish, mix the buttermilk with the hot sauce well. Should be a lovely shade of pink. Place the onions into the buttermilk mixture and make sure they’re submerged. Cover tightly and place in the fridge to get happy for at least 3 hours, longer is better.
  2. Mix the flour, cornmeal, panko together well. Add a tbsp of dried parsley. Liberally season the flour with your seasoning of choice.
  3. When you’re ready to batter up your onion rings: lift them out with a fork and toss into the flour mixture. Make sure they’re evenly coated. Do this with every ring, then place into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes (no longer than 10 minutes in the freezer) to help them set up and prevent your flour mixture from floating off into the oil.
  4. When ready to fry, heat your oil to 375 degrees. Remove the onion rings from the freezer and gently place into the oil and fry until golden brown. Immediately season with salt when you take them out of the oil.
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Garlic “Aioli”

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Description

This is somewhat of a spin on a classic aioli, which uses egg yolk instead of mayo. However, mayo is nothing but egg, oil and a few other ingredients anyway, so this is basically the same thing…

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayo
  • 2 tsp garlic paste (or finely minced garlic)
  • 1 pinch of granulated garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 tsp if using bottled lemon juice)
  • 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
  • Pinch of salt, pepper, dried parsley, dash of cayenne to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine everything and mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
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Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms

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Description

I purchased shittakes that were already cleaned and chopped. DO NOT clean these with water, they will soak it up like a sponge and will ruin everything. If you don’t know how to clean mushrooms, google is your friend.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 3 to 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the good stuff, it makes a difference)
  • 2 to 3 tbsp butter
  • Salt, pepper, onion powder, to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Once the butter starts sizzling up, add your mushrooms. Season them. Allow this to sautee for about 4 minutes, then add the worcestershire.
  2. Continue to sautee until they achieve a beautiful color, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Taste and re-season if need be.
  4. Remove from heat and place on top of your beautiful burger.
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Steakhouse Burgers

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef (at least 80/20 for a juicy burger)
  • ¼ cup steak sauce (such as A1)
  • 2 to 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for added moisture
  • Seasoning to taste (I used McCormick’s Montreal Steak seasoning, kosher salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, cayenne, a little dried parsley — use whatever you have)

Instructions

  1. To the ground beef, add the worcestershire, steak sauce, heavy cream, extra virgin olive oil, seasoning and bread crumbs. Gently mix and make sure everything is incorporated well. Cover and let this marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
  2. After marinating, form your patties. They will shrink just a little when cooked, so keep that in mind when sizing them.
  3. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook your patties — flipping just once and DO NOT PRESS the patties down with your spatula. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until juices are no longer pink.
  4. Remove from heat and get ready to assemble these babies…
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Assembly:

Butter and toast your buns.

Spread a layer of the garlic aioli on the bottom half of your bun. Place a patty on top with a slice of swiss cheese and stick under a hot broiler just until the cheese starts to slightly melt. Don’t leave it under there for long, and definitely don’t walk away. It should take about a minute.

Once the cheese starts to melt down, immediately remove from the oven. The residual heat will continue to melt the cheese.

Place some of the mushrooms on top of the melted cheese, followed by 1 or 2 onion rings, then the bacon.

Spread more garlic aioli on the other half of the bun close it up.

Enjoy and try not to cry…

Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Slammin’ Salmon BLT with Cornmeal Onion Rings

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I love seafood. I could legit live off seafood *record scratch* — actually, throw in some turf (steak) and maybe that’ll be a reality. I love my cow, but we’ll get into that later. Anyway, yea…seafood is my boo. I also love sandwiches. Big and small, wide and tall, I love’em all. Almost anything between two slices of bread is probably gonna put you two steps closer to God, but this sandwich might get you there a little faster. I cried a salty tear of bliss as I ate this sandwich in the fetal position of my living room. Don’t judge me.

This delicious sandwich starts with a slice of toasted perfection, basted with a garlic infused herb oil, then followed by a thin layer of spicy lemon-caper mayo, arugula, bacon, juicy tender salmon, sweet roma tomato slices, crispy onion rings, another thin layer of spicy lemon-caper mayo, and the final slice of toasted bliss. Add that all up and you have sex on a plate. But the only protection you’ll need is a bib.

If you’re absolutely not about that salmon life, you can use an entirely different piece of fish. You don’t have to do everything I tell you to 😉 I’ve done this kind of sandwich with tilapia, cod, haddock, catfish…the possibilities are endless. This would even be great with tuna. You could leave out the bacon but that would make you a terrorist. I’m kidding…sorta…

Salmon BLT with Onion Rings and a Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

Salmon BLT with Onion Rings and a Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

Salmon BLT with Onion Rings and a Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

Salmon BLT with Onion Rings and a Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

Salmon BLT with Onion Rings and a Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

Cook your salmon, fry your bacon, and assemble this beautiful thing…now!

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Salmon BLT with Onion Rings and a Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

Salmon BLT

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Ingredients

  • 1 filet of salmon
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 to 3 slices of bacon, cooked til crisp
  • 1 bunch of fresh arugula, washed and patted dry
  • several slices of tomato
  • Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo (recipe below)
  • Onion Rings (recipe below)
  • 2 slices of your favorite bread, toasted

Instructions

  1. Heat your broiler.
  2. Drizzle the olive oil and season your salmon on both sides with salt and pepper, and any other seasonings your little heart desires.
  3. Line a baking sheet with foil and broil your salmon on the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes on each side.
  4. Remove from oven and assemble your sandwich.
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Cornmeal Onion Rings

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Ingredients

  • 1 yellow or sweet vidalia onion, sliced into rings
  • 2 cups cold buttermilk
  • ¾ cup ground corn meal
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried tarragon
  • dashes of: salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder

Instructions

  1. Soak the onion rings in the buttermilk overnight.
  2. Mix the corn meal, flour, dried herbs, and seasoning together until combined.
  3. Coat each ring just once and set to the side. Repeat with each ring until all are coated.
  4. Fry in 375 degree oil until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt as soon as they come out of the fryer and serve on and alongside your salmon BLT.
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Spicy Lemon-Caper Mayo

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup good mayo (Hellman’s is my mayo of choice)
  • 1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 1 tsp chili paste (or hot sauce such as Sriracha)
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • dash of salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients and chill overnight or at least for an hour.
  2. Spread on your salmon BLT and also use a dipping sauce for any extra onion rings you have have left over.
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*I toasted my bread after brushing one side of each slice with a little Basting Oil from Wegmans. If you don’t have this, you can make a really yummy bootleg version using: olive oil, garlic powder, dried thyme and dried parsley.

Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

The “Big Meech” Burger

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Truth be told, I don’t even know who the hell “Big Meech” is. I do however, like the name “big meech” for a burger because it’s fitting. I am known for making big ridiculous man-burgers that will make him eat out the palm of your hand. He’ll be so happy and so full that he might even fall asleep watching Sports Center, giving you time to catch up on whatever mind-numbing reality TV show you’re obsessing over these days lol.

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"

This is a very thorough recipe, but super easy. Trust me.

Knowing I’d be cooking around noon, I woke up at 8am and got everything started. I marinated my onion rings, burgers, and bbq mayo 3 hours in advance. Make sure you do the same, or even prep the night before.

This burger was nothing short of amazing. I fed it to a friend of mine and my dad and they both fell in love. My dad just kept saying “Wow, this is excellent…I’d pay $15 for this”. Awww yeah! No seriously, it’s incredible and you must try it. I also fried about a pound of frozen fries and tossed with granulated garlic and a little salt for a quick and delicious garlic-fry. I could slap myself…

The bbq-mayo condiment is the only condiment you need. Don’t insult me by smothering this extremely juicy and flavorful burger with sugary ass ketchup. I will fight you. Let go of your ketchup dependency already. You only need it for a burger that’s dry and lacking flavor — and dammit, this aint the one!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
marinated!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
onions – buttermilk – seasoning – epic

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
coated!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
fried!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
salted!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
done!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
mix!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
eat!

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
mmmm

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"
*drool*

The Making of a "Big Meech Burger"nom

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Crunchy Onion Rings

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: about 8 to 12 onion rings
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Description

*total time includes prep and marinating

Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow or sweet vidalia onion
  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1 to 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 qt cold buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp (roughly) kosher salt
  • ½ cup corn meal
  • ½ cup panko (japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 tsp each of garlic salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), dried parsley, paprika, and onion powder.

Instructions

  1. Slice onions horizontally about a half inch thick and separate the rings.
  2. In a bowl, pour the buttermilk and kosher salt and mix until dissolved. This creates a buttermilk brine, that will penetrate the onion and give it more flavor than buttermilk alone. Mix the other seasonings into the buttermilk, and toss in the onion rings. Make sure each ring is submerged in the buttermilk. Cover and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.
  3. When ready to prepare, heat your deep fryer to 375 degrees.
  4. Mix the flour, baking powder, corn meal, and panko until well combined.
  5. Dip each ring into the dry mixture and coat. Then dip the coated onion ring back into the buttermilk mixture and toss into the dry mixture one more time. Set aside and repeat with remaining rings.
  6. Lay flat on a cookie sheet and stick in the fridge for about 20 minutes (or 7 to 8 minutes in the freezer) to allow the coating to really adhere to the onion.
  7. Gently place coated rings into the fry basket in one flat layer, about 4 or 5 at a time, and fry until crispy and golden brown. Immediately season with a tiny bit of salt the second they come out of the fryer.
  8. Place on top of your burger and enjoy.
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The “Big Meech” Burger

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 burgers
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Description

*total time includes prep and marinating

Ingredients

  • 1lb ground beef, at least 80% lean, 20% fat for a really juicy burger
  • ¼ cup prepared bbq sauce
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup italian bread crumbs (to bind the meat, otherwise it’ll be DUMB tender and fall apart)
  • 1 tbsp of worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder or flakes, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), onion powder to taste — and/or any other seasoning you feel will make this amazing. Use your best judgement.

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, add your beef (or turkey), and season with the seasonings of your choice. Add the heavy cream, wocestershire sauce, olive oil and bread crumbs and gently mix with your hands or a spoon. Don’t over-mix, you’ll toughen the meat. You just want to make sure all of the seasoning and other ingredients are well incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and allow this to marinate at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
  2. When ready to cook, use either a frying pan, griddle, or grill pan for your burgers. Form about 4 to 6 big patties and cook them over medium high heat, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until juices are no longer pink. DO NOT PRESS YOUR BURGERS WITH YOUR SPATULA. You will lose all of that delicious juiciness and dry them out. Make sure you only flip each burger one time to avoid having it fall apart on you, because they will be very tender.
  3. Once the burgers are done, remove from heat and add a slice of cheddar cheese (or the cheese of your choice). Cover the pan so that the steam will melt the cheese.
  4. Place each patty on a toasted bun along with the onion rings and other fixin’s and enjoy.
  5. **I used “soft vienna rolls” from Wegmans as the bun for these burgers. I brushed the tops with a little olive oil, garlic salt and dried parsley for sheen. Toasted them in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes and built my humongous burger. You don’t have to use this bun if you don’t want to, I’m just letting you know what I used in case you’re wondering 😉
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Sweet-n-Spicy BBQ Mayo

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
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Description

*total time includes prep and marinating

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayo
  • ½ cup bbq sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s)
  • 1½ tsp dried parsley
  • 2 to 3 tbsp spicy mustard or horseradish mustard
  • dashes of cayenne pepper, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), salt, any other complimentary seasonings you’d prefer.

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
  3. Spread on your toasted buns before you assemble your burger.
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Serve with fries, tossed with chopped garlic, garlic powder, or granulated garlic and a little salt for amazing “garlic fries”. Your mouth will be so happy…

Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

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