With the onset of warmth and sunshine, many New Englanders are taking the opportunity to fire up that grill. Nothing says summer like outdoor eating and barbeques, and if you miss the Newport Burger Bender that took place in February, now is the perfect opportunity to consider having a household burger bonanza.
In the meantime, there are plenty of opportunities to soak up some sun at outdoor farmers markets like Hope Street market in Lippitt Memorial Park. There, among the many tents of vendors, wanderers might find fresh baked goods, art, meats and fish, and leafy vegetables like Swiss chard, collard greens, brassica florets, and even some baby bok choy – that could go nicely in homemade wonton soup, or ramen. Perhaps the most unique fresh produce to buy at the market, however, is the wasabi goat cheese from Simmons Farm.
Wasabi goat cheese is what it sounds like: farm fresh goat cheese mixed with wasabi, giving it a creamy and spicy flavor, with a slight green tint. The creation is the brainchild of Aiden Simmons, who runs the goat cheese production at the farm. She created the cheese for people who don’t usually like wasabi – the creaminess offsets the spice, and many of her customers who are first hesitant to try the cheese because of the wasabi end up being regular wasabi cheese junkies.
“The flavors, for the most part, my dad [Brian Simmons] gives me full rein. I personally cook and bake a lot at home,” Simmons explains, so playing with flavor profiles and blending what at first glance may seem like an odd combination of ingredients is right up her alley. Other specialty goat cheeses that circulate at the Hope Street market and others include a “dessert” candied ginger goat cheese – which she recommends spreading in between a stack of pancakes, or baking into Danish pastries – a peach and rosemary goat cheese, and even a blueberry basil one.
The cheese is hyper-fresh, much better than what a buyer can get at a chain grocery store. It is a three-day process to make goat cheese, from pasteurization to adding cultures, hanging the cheese, and then combining the specialty ingredients for unique flavors, and at the market “all of the cheese was made yesterday, and you’ll have three weeks to eat it,” she promotes. The add-ins are no less fresh: “I prefer to use fresh ingredients,” Simmons says, citing that fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs all just taste better in season. Wasabi, which takes two years for the root to grow to its harvestable length, is harvested in the spring or autumn when temperatures are cool.
Love is what drives Simmons to keep working and keep creating at the farm. The generational family farm was founded in the mid-1600s, and according to Aquidneck Stone Wall Initiative, it’s the oldest continuously operating farm on the island. The farm used to focus on some vegetable crops and cows, but in 2004 they invested in goats, and in 2010, they ramped up their goat cheese production. Simmons took over the cheese process in 2019 from the care of her mother, and goats and goat cheese is now a heavily focused sector on the farm (they even advertise goat hikes!). “When I’m not making cheese, I’m milking the goats, taking care of the kids. My dad and I help birth the kids, and their [the goats’] families usually stay on the farm their whole lives. It’s very rewarding,” she says.
As for the unique wasabi goat cheese, Simmons’ preference is to make a Philly roll, a type of sushi traditionally made with smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, and rice on the outside. Besides sushi at home, she also suggests crumbling it over salmon (or salmon salad) or spreading it over an everything bagel.
Using the wasabi cheese in a traditional Japanese dish or giving a dish a hint of Japan is an intriguing idea. For this meal, I decided to end up somewhere in the middle by heading towards a fusion of American and Asian flavors. Perfect for summer grilling, I opted to create miso beef burgers with wasabi goat cheese and ginger slaw. I drew inspiration from Perdue Farms and Australian Beef for the burger recipe, and Celebration Generation for the ginger slaw. You could also substitute the beef for fish like tuna steaks or salmon burgers to have a more traditional flavor pairing (Celebration Generation uses tuna, but there are many salmon burger recipes that use wasabi out there). And, if you feel the need for additional burger add-ons, consider substituting bok choy instead of lettuce!
Miso Beef Burgers with Wasabi Goat Cheese and Ginger Slaw Recipe:
For the beef patties:
2 2/3 lbs. ground beef
4 Tbsp white miso paste
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Black pepper to taste
For the ginger slaw:
¾ c shredded carrots
¾ c shredded purple cabbage
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1.5” fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Important burger needs:
Good burger buns*
1 tub wasabi goat cheese
Instructions:
- Prep the slaw first. Wash, clean, and shred the carrots and cabbage in a large bowl. Slice the scallions and combine. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce mixture over the vegetables and toss to mix well. Cover, and let chill until the burgers are ready to be served.
- As the slaw chills, prepare the meat. To the beef, add sliced scallions, miso paste, garlic, and black pepper. Mix well, and then divide the mixture into six patties. Grill on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until the preferred level of doneness.
- Put the burger on the bun, spread the wasabi goat cheese onto the meat, and add the desired amount of slaw on top. Eat it while its hot.
Note: I used whole wheat bulky rolls for my burger buns, but any burger bun will suffice.
This recipe makes six burgers. The total amount for the ingredients (portioned) is about $34.40; the cost of each serving is about $5.73.
