The Spirit World

I have strawberries on the brain - big-time! I’m sure it’s because the strawberries in my little home garden are at their peak and I’ve been picking and eating them like crazy! Aren’t they just the most perfect “summer-is-here!” food that you know? So this week’s beverage is going to feature strawberries.

And we’re going to mix it up a bit; the beverage will be alcohol-free, although easy enough to add a shot of vodka if you’d care to, but we’ll add some beautiful Zinfandel wine to our “snack”, which is really a meal.

These recipes are straight from the Food Network program, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello and an episode called, Red, White and Blue Grill, which you can see on air Monday Jun. 26 at 3:30 PM ET/PT.

Muddled Lemonberryade

courtesy Michael Chiarello

• 4 lemons, sliced
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pint berries (strawberries and blackberries preferable)
• 1 quart water
• 1 quart club soda

Slice lemons and place in the bottom of the drink pitcher. Add 1/2 cup fresh mint and 1 cup sugar on top of lemons. With the wooden spoon mash the mixture for 1 minute. Add the berries and lightly mash. Add 1 quart water and refrigerate until chilled.

To serve: Fill a tall glass with ice and fill 3/4 with lemon juice mixture, top with club soda and serve.

And for the “appetizer”

Caramelized Onion Zin-Burgers with Crispy Cheddar Frico

courtesy Michael Chiarello

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small yellow onions, cut in half and sliced thin
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 cups zinfandel

Fricos:
1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar, shredded

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 6 seeded burger rolls
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut 1/3-inch thick
• 6 ounces spring mix salad green

Heat a 10-inch sauté pan over high heat. When hot add the olive oil, onions, and season with some salt and black pepper. Reduce pan to medium-high and continue to cook for 10 minutes until caramelized, stirring often. Sprinkle in the thyme and continue to cook for one minute. Add the zinfandel and cook until wine is 2/3 reduced. Take off the heat and let cool to room temp.

For the Cheddar fricos: In an 8-inch non- stick pan heated over medium-high heat add 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Cook until cheese is light brown on the bottom. Turn over with a plastic spatula and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 seconds. Remove to a plate to cool. Wipe pan and start again until 6 fricos are complete.

Form 6 (1/2-pound) beef patties and season very well with sea salt and black pepper on each side. Place on a hot grill and cook until nicely browned, approximately 5 minutes. Turn over and continue to cook to desired doneness.

A couple of minutes before the burgers are done halve the rolls and lightly brown on the grill, open side down.

Place burgers on the bottom halves of the rolls, adding a generous helping of onions. Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Top the burgers with frico, tomato slice and greens. Roll up your sleeves and dive in.