Burgers, Salad and Dear Friends

For the last few days, I have (surprisingly) been enjoying the camaraderie of an email recipe exchange.  I know, I know.  I too am hesitant to participate in forwarded email but when this one came in from a friend and colleague, Justine, I trusted that I would enjoy participating.  I met Justine nearly 10 years ago when I worked with her on a video project for the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association.  She was the filmmaker from Appalshop (www.appalshop.org) who helped us create a video on rural communities responding to domestic violence.  Along with her colleague, Rhonda, we traveled around the state in my old Jeep Cherokee as we interviewed women in shelter, a judge in western Kentucky and even a cop in Elizabethtown.  In between shoots, we’d listen to Ani Difranco cassette tapes, talk about feminism and ponder what we wanted to do with our lives.  I found a soul sister in Justine.  Even though she lives in Canada now with her family and our lives rarely cross, I know she gets me.  And my community of like-minded women–of loving support–is expanded with her in it.  In the last few years, we’ve talked mothering, working from home, and balance.  And just like 10 years ago when we first met, I find comfort in knowing another amazing woman is out there creating an authentic life for herself and her babes.

So, needless to say, I had to participate.  For Justine’s sake.  Because she’s dear and I like having her in my sisterhood.  

Justine shared this recipe with me:

Asian Turkey Burgers
(Amounts are approximate, as I wing it each time)
Ground Turkey (1 lb)
1-2 Tbsp of soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2-3 drops of sesame oil
1 tsp ground ginger

Mix and form patties (2 to 4 per lb), then grill as usual. I serve with a mix of mayo, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar & sesame oil.
Garnish w/ thin slices of cucumber and serve on sesame seed roll.

I added a recipe for a pear walnut salad memorized from Cathe Olson’s The Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook:

Mix vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, dry fennel or oregano and garlic in a small jar to make a dressing.  Toss together lettuce, pear, walnuts and blue cheese; dress with dressing and enjoy!