Korean-Style Burgers with Sesame-Brined Cucumber

If you love Korean flavors like I do, turn your next grilled burger into something special with the bold, sweet, and spicy tastes of this delicious part of Asian cuisine.

Here, I mixed ground sirloin with the Korean hot red pepper paste called gochujang, along with aromatic ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds. (For more about gochujang, see Baked Chicken Wings with Spicy Korean Barbecue Sauce.) Brown sugar adds a little sweetness to the burgers to balance the savor and spiciness of the other ingredients.

Gochujang

Instead of pickles, make a quick sesame-flavored brine to park some cucumber slices in for about an hour. They’re the perfect topping for a fantastic Korean-style burger.

Note: I pan-grilled the burgers, but, of course, you can take them outside for even smokier char-grilled flavor.

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Cucumber

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sesame paste
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes
• 2-1/2-inch piece of seedless cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

For the Burgers

• 2/3 lb ground sirloin
• 2 tbsp gochujang (or other hot red pepper paste)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• peanut oil, for brushing
• 2 kaiser (or other crusty) rolls
• tomato and onion slices, and spicy mustard for serving (optional)

Preparation

For the Cucumber

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients (through chile flakes) in a medium bowl, stirring well to dissolve the sugar, salt, and paste. Add the cucumber slices and submerge as much as possible. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Drain before serving.

Cucumber Slices and Brine  

Cucumber in Brine

Brined Cucumber

For the Burgers

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients (through sesame seeds) in a bowl. Form the mixture into 2 patties, making a slight indent with your thumb in the middle of each. (This helps keep the patties from puffing up too much as they cook.)

Beef Mixture 

Patties Ready to Grill

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with peanut oil.
2. Grill the burgers until just cooked through and juicy inside, 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate or board and let rest 3 minutes.

Patties Beginning to Grill 

Grilled Burgers

Serve the burgers on the toasted rolls with (drained) brined cucumber slices on top, along with other accompaniments, if desired.

Roasted Squash and Kielbasa with Sautéed Chard

Autumn is squash time, and the versatility of these beautiful, nutritious gourds is as plentiful as their variety. Sometimes I select squash simply because they’re so pretty. 

For this recipe, I chose yellow-and-green-striped delicata and vibrant reddish-orange, teardrop-shaped red kuri squash. The latter is a Japanese variety with creamy, yellow flesh and a nutty taste, similar to chestnuts. It pairs well with the buttery, mild flavor of the delicata.

Delicata and Red Kuri Squash

Red kuri has a hard skin and can be difficult to peel, like acorn squash. If you’d rather not tackle peeling it, substitute easy-to-peel butternut, or simply use all delicata. If you do choose red kuri, cut it in half, scoope out the seeds, then quarter it to make peeling more manageable.

Cut Squash 

Peeled Red Kuri Squash

The aroma of squash roasting in the oven says fall. Add some smoky kielbasa, earthy chard, and a little drizzle of warm maple syrup for a well-balanced, inviting, and satisfying autumn dinner.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 small delicata squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 small red kuri squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 tbsp
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 lb smoked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 bunch rainbow (or green) chard, cut into 2-inch ribbons (5-6 cups)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, warmed 

Smoked Kielbasa 

Chard Ribbons

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place all the squash in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. 
3. Spread the squash on the baking sheet and roast, turning and stirring a few times, until tender and beginning to brown, 30 minutes.

Squash Tossed with Oil and Seasoning

Squash Ready to Roast 

Roasted Squash

1. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the kielbasa and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook, turning a few times, until the sausage is browned and just cooked through, 7-8 minutes. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.

Kielbasa Beginning to Cook

Cooked Kielbasa

1. Add the chard to the remaining oil in the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and cook until the chard is wilted and most of the liquid is absorbed, 3-4 minutes. (Use a slotted spoon to remove the chard for serving.)

Chard Beginning to Cook

Cooked Chard

To serve, divide the chard among 4 plates. Top with kielbasa and squash and drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon of warm maple syrup. Serve right away.

Chicken Piccata with Butter-Seared Brussels Sprouts

“Piccata” means cooking in a lemony butter sauce with fresh herbs, typically parsley. Common additions include dry white wine and a little flour for thickening. It’s a simple, flavorful sauce that turns chicken or turkey cutlets into a deliciously easy dinner.

Just as easy—and simple—are pan-seared Brussles sprouts. Cooked in butter until beginning to brown, the sprouts are rich, a little sweet, and, of course, wonderfully buttery. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken Piccata

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 5-oz chicken cutlets, pounded to even thickness
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

For the Brussels Sprouts

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 12 oz Brussels sprouts, cut in half through stem end
• sea salt 
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Brussels Sprouts Ready to Cook

Preparation

For the Chicken Piccata

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until just cooked through and beginning to brown, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove and keep warm.

Cutlets Beginning to Sear 

Seared Chicken Cutlets

1. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet, swirling to coat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer 2 minutes, scraping up brown bits. 

Wine Added

1. Whisk the chicken broth and flour in a bowl. Add the mixture to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the liquid thickens, 3-4 minutes. 

Broth Mixture Added

Thickened Sauce

1. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, and capers. Return the chicken cutlets to the pan, turning to coat.

Butter, Lemon, and Capers Stirred In

Chicken Returned to Pan

To serve, place 1 cutlet on each of 4 plates and spoon sauce on top. Garnish with parsley and serve Brussels sprouts alongside (recipe follows).

For the Brussels Sprouts

1. Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat and add the butter, swirling to coat. When the butter begins to sizzle, add the sprouts cut-side down and sear without stirring, 5 minutes. (Decrease the heat if the butter begins to brown too quickly.)
2. Turn the sprouts and add the broth. Season with salt and pepper. 

Sprouts Beginning to Sear

Sprouts after Turning

1. Continue cooking and turning occasionally until the sprouts begin to brown and the liquid is absorbed, 6-7 minutes total.

Butter-Seared Brussels Sprouts

Shrimp and Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce

This simple stir-fry is fresh, fast, and flavorful—and the key is in the sauce. Fermented black bean sauce has a pleasantly pungent taste and aroma, with sweet and sour overtones. It’s available in bottles at Asian markets and in the international sections of some supermarkets.

Bottled Black Bean Sauce

Its bold flavor and thick consistency—think tomato paste—means a little goes a long way. In this recipe, only two tablespoons are enough to create a rich, velvety coating for the shrimp and broccoli. I say coating because this is not a saucy sauce. It simply clings to the main ingredients without being overpowering.    

Fermented Black Bean Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chicken broth

• 2 tbsp bottled black bean sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 8-9 oz broccoli florets (about 3 cups), wide pieces cut in half lengthwise

• 1 hot, red chile, finely chopped
• 1 lb large shrimp (26-30 count), shelled and deveined
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• chopped scallions, for garnish

Broccoli Florets 

Peeled, Deveined Shrimp

Preparation

1. Combine the broth, black bean sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl, whisking to dissolve the cornstarch. Set aside.

Black Bean Sauce

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil, swirling to coat. Add the broccoli florets and chile and stir-fry until the broccoli is lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.

Broccoli Beginning to Cook

Broccoli Beginning to Brown

1. Add the shrimp, garlic, and ginger and season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until the shrimp turns pink, 3-4 minutes. (Cover the pan for a minute or so to help the shrimp cook evenly.)

Shrimp Beginning to Cook

Cooked Shrimp

1. Re-whisk the broth mixture and add to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until velvety thick, about 2 minutes.

Sauce Added

To serve, divide the rice among 4 shallow bowls and divide the shrimp and broccoli mixture on top. Garnish with scallions and serve right away.