How it all began...

Scott is my boyfriend of nearly two years now.  We met at our neighbourhood dog park where we walked around endlessly in circles together for several months talking about food. I would mention an ingredient I hoped to prepare for my dinner, and Scott would tell me some incredible new approach of what to do with it.  Scott knows an awful lot about food: how to grow great food, where to buy great food and most importantly, how to make great food.  Our friendship began over a conversation about growing tips for how to seed great tomatoes in the middle of winter.  Two years (and unfortunately 10 lbs) later Scott and I eat together almost every night.
One of my close friends who shared a meal with Scott and I recently, suggested I start a blog, and Scott Cooks! was born.  Each meal presents a brand new culinary adventure, sometimes inspired by a theme, a particular ingredient in season or just whats left to work with in the refrigerator.  Every meal has something in common, they are all memorable and there are no recipes.  So, this blog marks my attempt to share my amazing dining experiences, and hopefully present great ideas for food, which might serve to inspire you, or your partner to try something new for dinner.

July 20, 2011

• GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS WITH ANAHEIM CHILES, BACON & GREENS.  
• MINI-FARFALLE PASTA SALAD

Scott planted 60 pepper plants this summer in the garden.  None of them are labeled, so right now its a complete surprise what kinds of peppers will dangle off each plant. We picked a couple Anaheim chiles this week and that became the centerpiece for tonight's dinner. Take a package of ground turkey, 85% lean works better than the 93% version on the grill and shape it into burger patties. Remove the seeds from the chiles and cut them up into small squares.  Sautée them in a skillet with a little butter or olive oil for a few minutes until they are tender but still green and firm.  Set them aside.  Fry up some bacon and break the strips in halves.  When you flip the burgers over for the first time, lay the chiles and bacon on top of the cooked side and cover with grated cheddar cheese.  Monterrey Jack would also work well, but be careful, Anaheim chiles can be quite spicy and you don't want to overdo it! When the burgers are cooked through, remove from grill and garnish with mixed salad greens or baby arugula and a little bit of mayonnaise. 

  

FOR THE PASTA SALAD: Most any raw vegetable would work well, but Scott made sure our salad had a rainbow of colour and variety of texture. Furthermore, he used things we had already growing in the raised bed out in the back yard.  Cook the Mini-Farfalle and then rinse thoroughly in cold water.  Chop up some fresh cauliflower, tomatoes (seeded first), fresh basil, chives, purple sweet peppers (you could substitute a red/green/yellow pepper) and a zucchini into bite size pieces and toss them into the past with a little vinegar, olive oil, cracked pepper and kosher salt.  Chill it for 30 minutes before serving.  This refreshing cold pasta salad makes a soothing contrast to your flaming mouth from the Anaheim Chile turkey burgers, believe me! 

People who live in very hot climates often eat a lot of spicy food.  The hot taste that lingers in your mouth and the sweat you produce from eating spicy food cools you off on hot days.  These turkey burgers were no exception, deliciously spicy, juicy and flavourful, they paired beautifully with the cold salad.