Happy 4th of July

The weather is very hot, so my 4th of July picnic has been moved indoors.  Though I am not a fan of burgers (mostly the bun is too much for me) I picked up a pound of ground bison meat at the farmers market.  The burger turned out to be fabulous. Here is what was on Marilyn's Table for the holiday:

Bison Burgers with Caramelized Onions and White Cheddar on a toasted Pretzel Roll
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Mango-Peach Sangria

Thinly sliced onions are sauteed over a low flame in a small bit of EVOO until they are browned and sweet.  Then removed from the heat and kept warm.Grass fed bison meat is very red and only slightly resembles ground sirloin of beef.  The texture is tighter since it is much leaner than beef.  The burger is mixed gently with minced shallots and dry thyme.  I cooked the patties on a griddle over low heat, lightly seasoning it with salt and pepper until medium rare.  Sharp white cheddar cheese slices are melted over the burger before it is  placed on a split toasted pretzel roll which has been spread with Dijon Mustard.  The onions top the burger and consumed with much pleasure.  A great burger and pretzel rolls are a favorite of mine. Perhaps more burgers are in my future?


The salad is made earlier in the day.  A large bowl is filled with broccoli florets, cauliflowerets, julienned red pepper, thinly sliced carrots, thinly sliced red onion, chopped Kalamata olives and cubes of sharp cheddar cheese.  The dressing is mixed in a separate bowl:  low fat mayo, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and dill weed. The dressing is poured over the vegetables, mixed to coat and covered with plastic and refrigerated at least 1 hour.  I really like this salad; lot of flavor and texture. It made an excellent side for the burger.


The Sangria was a nice surprise.  Most Sangria I have had is made with red wine; this was made with white. Sugar and water are heated in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves into a simple syrup. When cool it is poured into a pitcher and refrigerated until cold.  A bottle of chilled white wine is added to the pitcher along with Grand Marnier (or other orange flavored liquor).  Chopped mint, mango and peaches are added.  This makes a very pretty drink when poured over ice.  Garnish with a sprig of mint.


This was an excellent meal, I just wish the weather would not have been so warm.  Eating it outdoors on the balcony among my plants and flags would have made it a bit more festive. I was very pleased with the bison so I may purchase another cut for this weekend.  Stay tuned to see what will grace Marilyn's Table.


Stay cool!