Elliot Turns 21, and How To Keep Him in the Kitchen

Elliot on his 10th birthday.

Over the years, I’ve written stories about everyone in my family, but perhaps the most have been about Elliot, our youngest. The first time I wrote about him, he was just 5 years old. That first writing was about the farm share we got each week and Elliot, with his floppy hair and big brown eyes, would delight in the arrival of the big box. He would pull out bunch after bunch of greens, onions and every imaginable vegetable grown on a farm in New York state. It could be the excitement was more about the box itself, but I liked to think the vegetables held some fascination, too. 

Those days, of course, were just as fleeting as his passion for big boxes. He went from five to ten years old, then a gawky 13 year old and all at once, a college freshman. Just a few days ago, he turned 21. Throughout those years, I wrote about him again and again. There were pancakes made together, dinners made for friends, and many stories about his come-and-go passions for soccer, mountain bikes, fishing, and guitars. The anticipation and excitement of those things never rivaled the pure joy of a 5 year old opening a box of farm vegetables, but still, I love those memories. Now, he’s more of a mellow, cool guy and less the jump-up-and-down excitable type. He tolerates me retelling those stories. 

With Elliot coming home for the summer while he works an internship, I’ll get to see him every day, hear guitar strumming from his room upstairs (I have dearly missed that sound) and perhaps best of all, feed him. In many ways, Elliot fits the youngest-child mold: he’s laid back and easy to please and always shows up to help prep and cook. Here follows a few recipes from my many years of feeding Elliot, things I know he will appreciate and like, things that require some chopping and cooking and therefore things that will draw him to the kitchen. He has grown and changed, but my strategies for getting him to spend time with me have not.

Crispy Thai Rice Salad

Thai rice salad is a variation on an old favorite around here. There are many rice and noodle dishes with Thai flavors, centered around herbs, chiles and peanuts. This version uses up day-old rice (extra containers of takeout rice work well) and whatever herbs you have in the fridge. It’s based on a dish called Nam Khao Tod, a salad made with fried balls of rice and then broken, so the jagged, crispy edges of each rice ball catches the lip-smacking dressing. I simplified the process by spreading the rice mixture into a small sheet pan and roasting it, till the edges are browned. Then, I broke apart the slab of rice, tossed it together with the greens and cucumbers, and topped it off with a shower of herbs. I chopped and tossed in a big handful of cocktail peanuts, cooked in oil and then salted, more plump and juicier than the dry-roasted variety. (But use whatever peanuts you have on hand.) Serve up this salad topped with a fried egg for a light vegetarian meal or alongside salmon, chicken or any simply prepared protein. It’s got lots of crunch, chew, freshness and a kick of spice, too. 

The second recipe is for a gussied-up burger. Burgers are served often around our house because it’s something we all agree on, but this is a burger with a twist. I like to serve turkey burgers now and then, because they’re healthier. But they can be kind of lacking in something (flavor, my husband says). In Greek turkey burgers, I pump it up with herbs, aromatics and cheese. Depending on how they’re cooked, turkey burgers can be dry, so this version has an egg stirred in to keep it moist. Gently mix together the add-ins with the turkey and egg, and with some careful cooking, you’ve got a juicy, flavorful burger. I set out pitas, bowls of tomatoes and cucumber, lettuce and along with the lemon yogurt sauce. It’s a dinner winner. 

On his birthday, our whole family took a road trip to visit Elliot. We brought racks of ribs smoked by my husband, homemade lasagne and the same birthday cake he’s always requested: chocolate with peanut butter frosting. And even though we are grandparents, we’re still cool, so we brought him a case of beer, too. Happy birthday, Elliot! Here’s to many more years of stories, celebrations and time spent cooking together. 

The fam celebrating Elliot’s birthday.

Thai Style Crispy Rice Salad
With herbs and peanuts
Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main

2 cups cooked jasmine rice (see note)
2 teaspoons red curry paste
canola or other neutral oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sambal oeleck (or to taste)
1 packed teaspoon brown sugar
Juice of 2 lime
4 cups salad greens
1 shallot, trimmed, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup chopped cucumbers
1 handful fresh herbs (basil, mint, cilantro, etc.)
1/2 cup salted cocktail peanuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
Mix the rice with the curry paste and taste it. Add a bit more, if you like it spicy. Brush a small baking sheet generously with the oil and spread the rice out to a layer of 1/4-inch thickness. Use a pastry brush to spread more oil on the top of the rice. Bake the rice on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool. 
Meanwhile, whisk together the fish sauce, sambal, brown sugar and lime juice in a small glass jar. In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce leaves, shallot, cucumbers and herbs. 
Break the rice apart into approximately 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Pour the dressing over all and toss well. Top with the peanuts and serve at room temperature.  
Note: This salad is best made with rice that was cooked the day before. 

Turkey Burgers
With Greek Flavors and Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4

1 pound ground turkey
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove peeled and grated
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
1 egg
1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the yogurt sauce:
2-5 ounce containers plain whole milk greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying
Pita breads, lettuce, chopped cucumber and tomato, for serving

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, shallot, garlic, feta, egg, oregano, salt and pepper and gently combine until everything is evenly distributed. Shape into four patties about ½-inch thick and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or freeze for 20 minutes.  
Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt with the dill, lemon, red pepper and salt and set aside. 
Pour the olive oil into a large skillet set over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, carefully add the burgers. Cook until browned and crisp, then flip. Cook for 5 minutes per side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the center of a burger. 
Place each burger on a pita and top with the cucumber and tomato and pass the yogurt sauce at the table. 
Note: These burgers can also be grilled. Place them on a very well-oiled, preheated grill and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the center of a burger.