Get Cooking_ 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen - Mollie Katzen [62]
2. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties, each a generous ½-inch thick.
3. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the tuna patties in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
4. Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen each burger and flip it over, adding a little more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook on the second side for about 3 minutes, or until the undersides are nicely browned. Serve immediately, accompanied by a wedge of lemon.
GET CREATIVE
You can serve these “as is” with lemon wedges and tartar sauce on the side, or turn them into burgers by serving them on toasted soft rolls or English muffins, with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and thinly sliced cucumbers.
To make tuna melts, top each burger with a slice of Swiss or jack cheese while the second side is cooking.
To take these in a Japanese direction, add a teaspoon of teriyaki sauce to the patty mixture. Spread some mayonnaise and wasabi (Japanese green horseradish) on a toasted sesame roll, then add a tuna burger and top with pickled ginger (the kind served with sushi, sold in Asian groceries).
very crisp panko-coated eggplant cutlets
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Thick rounds of eggplant with a crisp coating and meltingly tender insides make really good cutlets that you can eat burger-style on a bun or just serve on a plate. Look for a big, round eggplant with a shape that will yield the most uniform round slices. The skin should be tight and shiny with no wrinkles, soft spots, or blemishes, because you won’t be peeling the eggplant. You’ll need to cook these in batches, so I’ve included directions for keeping the first batch warm in the oven. If you have two good heavy skillets, you can get them both going at the same time to speed things up. Just be sure to keep an eye on the undersides of all the cutlets as they cook, and adjust the heat accordingly.
1 large eggplant (about 1¾ pounds)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon water
1 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs—see Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Set up a rack in a baking tray on which you can put the cooked cutlets.
2. Slice off and discard the eggplant top and bottom. Use a sharp knife to cut the eggplant crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. You should end up with 12 to 14 rounds.
3. Break the eggs into a pie pan, then beat with a fork or a small whisk, adding the teaspoon of water as you go. When the eggs become smooth, stop beating and set aside.
4. Combine the panko, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Have a second dinner plate (or two) ready to hold the coated eggplant slices. Have some damp paper towels ready, as well, to wipe your hands as needed.
5. One at a time, dip the eggplant slices into the egg and then let any excess egg drip off back into the pie pan. Put the moistened slice into the panko mixture, pressing it down firmly so the crumbs will adhere. Then turn it over, and press the second side into the crumbs until it becomes completely coated all over. Shake off any extra panko mixture, and transfer the coated slice to the clean plate.
6. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add about a tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
7. Carefully transfer the coated eggplant slices (as many as will fit in a single layer) to the hot pan. Cook, undisturbed, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
8. Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen each piece, keeping its coating intact (you don’t want