Thursday, July 25, 2013

Stuffed

This month, the Creative Cooking Crew's challenge was to "Stuff it."



With the end of the month looming (where did the summer go?), I whipped up a "stuff it"-inspired meal: burrata-stuffed watermelon with a cucumber-mint salad as well as lamb burgers stuffed with goat cheese and sour cherry jam!



The creamy and salty burrata was a delicious counterpart to the crisp, sweet watermelon.  Cucumbers provided a nice little crunch, and the mint and serrano peppers rounded out the flavors.  The meal continued with a play on flavors and textures.  The juicy spiced lamb burgers paired well with the creamy goat cheese and sweet and tangy sour cherry jam.



Burrata-Stuffed Watermelon with Cucumber-Mint Salad
Recipe by Shannon

Stuffing the watermelon made for a fun presentation, but next time I'd just slice the watermelon and add burrata on top, followed by the cucumber salad!  Also- I debated making the cucumber salad with basil and adding some balsamic vinegar, think this would be another good option.

1 watermelon
1 ball of burrata
1 small cucumber, diced
1 serrano, finely diced
1-2 sprigs of mint, leaves removed
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cut off the watermelon rind to form a rectangular shape larger than the ball of burrata.  Slice diagonally down the center of the rectangle to form two halves.  Cut out a hole on the inside of each half that will fit the burrata.  Place the burrata inside the watermelon halves to re-form the rectangle.  Mine stayed together pretty well, but you could always use a toothpick or two to hold it into place.

To prepare the salad, add the cucumber, serrano and chopped mint to a small bowl.  Add a bit of olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add salad to a large plate and place the burrata-stuffed watermelon on top.  Slice and serve.




Lamb Burgers Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Sour Cherry Jam
Recipe by Shannon
Yield: 3 burgers

These could also be prepared un-stuffed, as burgers with a goat cheese spread topped with sour cherry jam/compote.

1lb ground lamb (or grass-fed beef)
2-3t Penzey's lamb seasoning
1-2oz goat cheese
2-3t sour cherry jam (recipe to come)
for assembly: burger buns, lettuce (I used swiss chard), or greek yogurt

Add the meat to a bowl and season with lamb seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix lightly, then divide into 6 equal portions.  Form into small patties, then top three of them with a chunk of goat cheese and bit of jam.  Top with the remaining three patties and purse together.

On a hot grill, cook the burgers for 3-4min/side on high heat.  I served these on small brioche buns with some swiss chard- but feel free to dress up as you see fit!



What's your favorite thing to stuff??  As always, thanks to Joan and Laz for hosting!  Be sure to check out the recap with many delicious stuffed dishes!

20 comments:

We Are Not Martha said...

Why are foods stuffed with other foods always so good? Proven fact! I LOVE the idea of a stuffed watermelon!

Sues

Erica said...

Stuffed watermelon?! How fun.

Esi said...

This is lovely!

Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic said...

Anything with burrata sounds good to me. I would also love the little lamb burgers!

Delicious Dishings said...

That stuffed watermelon looks amazing!!! I wish I had that for dinner.

Food and Fitness Friend said...

The stuffed watermelon looks AMAZING. What a great combo. Must make this soon!

Victoria said...

The watermelon does look super refreshing!!! The lamb burgers look great too. Nothing better than stuffing cheese inside a burger! Great meal of stuffed goodies :)

Natalie said...

these look so fancy! like they belong in a restaurant!!

Hannah said...

That is so crazy creative! I've never seen a watermelon used in such a way, and now I can't believe this trend hasn't already swept the nation. I love watermelon, and stuffed watermelon must be mind-blowingly delicious! I'll have to try it with aged cashew cheese. ;)

Deana Sidney said...

Double stuffing? Well done! You took the challenge seriously and creatively. I love the idea of lamb and watermelon. The sweet and savory elements are perfect for summer heat.

Joanne said...

That stuffed watermelon sounds amazing! The perfect mix of sweet and salty and spicy. Awesome job with this challenge!

Joan Nova said...

What a lovely surprise inside that watermelon square -- and a perfect accompaniment to a lamb burger. Yum!

Jennifer Kendall said...

Oh man I love that you made two dishes! They both sound AMAZING!!

Emily @ A Cambridge Story said...

So elegant! what a fun challenge!

http://platanosmangoes.com said...

I am on a watermelon frenzy lately and have made so many different things. This will be perfect for the husband as he loves his burrata. You and I were on same page with the watermentlon idea...

angela@spinachtiger said...

I love this watermelon idea. And, the lamb burger with goat cheese would be hard to stop eating. Yum all the way.

Amy (Savory Moments) said...

Stuffed watermelon?! Wow - this is a very unique idea and it sounds really fun!

Amy said...

Your stuffed recipes are wonderful. I love how beautiful the
Burrata-Stuffed Watermelon with Cucumber-Mint Salad turned out. :) Can't wait to give that a try.

Evelyne CulturEatz said...

Better late then never to comment! Everything sounds so amazing but the idea of stuffing the watermelon is brilliant. Looks excellent.

Erica said...

What a fun idea!!Love watermelon!

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