Burgers...mmmmmmmmmmm

[mr x]

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[mr x]

Pork-Fennel Burger

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into large chunks
3 to 4 garlic cloves
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, with some of the fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or more to taste

Peeled orange slices, chopped olives, chopped parsley, chopped roasted red pepper and fennel slices, to garnish (optional).

1. If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put fennel and garlic into a food processor and pulse until just chopped; remove to a large bowl. Put pork fat in processor and grind until just chopped; add to bowl. Working in batches, process meat with fennel seeds, caraway, if using and salt and pepper, until meat is just chopped (be careful not to over-process). Add to bowl and mix well. Shape mixture into 8 patties.

2. To broil or grill, cook about 5 minutes on each side, turning once after 4 or 5 minutes and again as necessary, 8 to 10 minutes total. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. When browned, turn. Total cooking time is about 10 minutes. (They can remain ever-so-slightly pink in the center.)

3. Garnish with peeled orange slices, chopped olives, chopped parsley, chopped roasted red pepper and fennel slices, to taste.

Yield: 8 patties.

[mr x]

Inside-Out Lamb Cheeseburgers

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, in chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
About 1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, in 4 pieces.

1. Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill. Or, on a stove top, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes.

2. Put meat and some salt and pepper in a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse until coarsely ground: finer than chopped, but not much. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If desired, cook a teaspoon of meat in a pan before tasting.) Divide meat into 4 sections and shape each one around a piece of cheese, enclosing it fully.

3. Cook over moderately hot fire: you will be able to hold your hand 3 or 4 inches over rack for a few seconds. Grill burgers about 4 minutes a side for medium-rare, and until cheese begins to melt. (Timing on stove top is the same.)

4. Serve on buns, toast or hard rolls, garnished as you like.

Yield: 4 servings.

[mr x]

The Real Burger

1 1/2 to 2 pounds not-too-lean sirloin, in chunks
1/2 white onion, peeled and in chunks, optional
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill. Or, on stove top, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes.

2. Put meat and onion in a food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse until coarsely ground: finer than chopped, but not much. Put it in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Taste, then add more seasoning if necessary. (If desired, cook a teaspoon of meat in a pan before tasting.) Handling meat as little as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it lightly into 4 or more burgers.

3. Fire is hot enough when you can barely stand to hold your hand 3 or 4 inches over rack for a few seconds. Grill burgers about 3 minutes a side for very rare, and another minute a side for each increasing stage of doneness, but no more than 10 minutes total unless you like hockey pucks. (Timing on stove top is the same.)

4. Serve on buns, toast or hard rolls, garnished as you like.

Yield: 4 servings.

[mr x]

Beef Tartare Burger

1 1/2 pounds fatty sirloin or chuck, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 shallot
1 medium garlic clove
1 tablespoon capers
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped medium-cooked egg, capers, whole anchovies, diced sweet white onion, chopped parsley and peeled lemon slices, to garnish (optional).

1. If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put beef, shallot, garlic, capers and anchovy, if using, into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground — finer than chopped, but not much. Put it into a bowl with parsley, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix gently, then taste and adjust seasoning. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.

2. To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.

3. Garnish with chopped medium-cooked egg, capers, whole anchovies, diced sweet white onion, chopped parsley and peeled lemon slices.

Yield: 4 burgers.

[mr x]

Turkey and Vegetable Burgers

The vegetables in this turkey burger mixture not only contribute lots of vitamins A and C and micronutrients like the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been linked to eye health, but they also help to moisten burgers that can otherwise be quite dry. Make sure to buy lean ground turkey breast.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely diced onion
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
Salt to taste
1 large garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced
2/3 cup finely grated carrot (1 large carrot)
1 ¼ pounds lean ground turkey breast, preferably organic, from humanely raised turkeys
1 tablespoon prepared barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Canola oil for the skillet

Whole grain hamburger buns and condiments of your choice

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the diced red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the grated carrot and cook, stirring, for anther minute or two, until the carrots have softened slightly and the mixture is fragrant. Remove from the heat.

2. In a large bowl, mash the ground turkey with a fork. Add about ¾ teaspoon kosher salt if desired, and mix in the barbecue sauce, ketchup, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add the sautéed vegetables and mix together well. Shape into 6 patties, about ¾-inch thick. Chill for 1 hour if possible to facilitate handling.

3. Heat a nonstick griddle or a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and brush with a small amount of canola oil, or prepare a medium-hot grill. When you can feel the heat when you hold your hand above it, cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side. Serve on whole grain buns, with the condiments of your choice.

Yield: 6 burgers.

Advance preparation: You can make this turkey burger mix, shape into patties and freeze for 2 or 3 months. Thaw as needed. The mix will keep for a day in the refrigerator, but check the use-by date on the package.

[jeffsmith]

Turkey and Vegetable Burgers

Made a very similar burger last evening. One of the Mrs' favourites.

[mr x]

Love turkey burgers.

[mr x]

Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburgers

Large portobello mushrooms are perfect burger material, just the right size for a meaty and satisfying meal. I like them best with Gruyère cheese on top.

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced or pureed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach
4 ½-ounce slices cheddar or Gruyère cheese

Whole grain hamburger buns and the condiments of your choice

1. Whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. Toss with the mushroom caps in a wide bowl. Rub the marinade over the tops of the mushroom caps and place them on a baking sheet, rounded side up. Let sit for 15 minutes. Don’t rinse the bowl, because you’ll use any oil and vinegar residue to dress the spinach.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and blanch the spinach for 20 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, drain and squeeze dry. Chop coarsely and toss in the bowl with the residue of the marinade. Set aside.

3. Prepare a medium-hot grill, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, or preheat an electric grill or panini pan on medium-high. Season the mushrooms as desired with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the hot grill or pan, rounded side down. Cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness, until lightly browned, and moist. Turn over and cook for another 6 minutes. Turn over for a minute to reheat the top, then flip back over and place the cheese on top. Continue to cook until the cheese melts. If using a panini grill, cook 6 to 8 minutes. Open the grill and place the cheese on top. Wait for it to melt. Place a mound of spinach on the bottom half of each hamburger bun and place the mushrooms, rounded side up, on top of the spinach. Top with your choice of condiments and serve.

Yield: Serves 4.

Advance preparation: You can marinate the mushrooms for up to a day.

[mr x]

Shu Mai-Style Burgers

Time: 30 minutes

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled
2 medium cloves garlic
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, with the fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped scallion plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
1 small fresh chili, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Shredded cabbage and pickled pepper, to garnish (optional).

1. If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put shrimp and garlic in a food processor and pulse until just chopped; remove to a large bowl. Working in batches, grind pork fat until just chopped (be careful not to over-process). Add to bowl. Then grind meat until just chopped, again being careful not to over-process; add to bowl.

2. Mix shrimp, pork fat and meat with the soy sauce, scallion, cilantro, chili and ginger; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape into 8 patties.

3. To broil or grill, cook about 4 minutes, then turn and cook for a total of 8 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add the patties; cook undisturbed, for about 4 minutes, then turn and cook for a total of 8 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through.

4. Garnish with scallion, cilantro, cabbage and pickled pepper, to taste.

Yield: 8 burgers.

[mr x]

Curry-Spiced Lamb Burgers

Time: 20 minutes

1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
1 medium (or 1/2 large) onion, peeled and cut into chunks
1 fresh chili, preferably jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and scallion; and shredded carrot and lettuce, to garnish (optional).

1. If grilling or broiling, heat should be medium-high and rack about 4 inches from fire. Put lamb and onion into a food processor (in batches if your machine is small) and pulse until coarsely ground. Put in a bowl with chili, coriander, cumin and turmeric, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix, handling the meat as little as possible, until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. Handling meat as lightly as possible to avoid compressing it, shape it into 4 or more burgers.

2. To broil or grill, cook about 3 minutes on each side for rare and another minute per side for each increasing stage of doneness. For stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, then add patties; cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then rotate them so they brown evenly. Turn once and cook for a total of about 6 minutes for rare.

3. Garnish with diced mango, green and red pepper, red onion and scallion, and with shredded carrot and lettuce.

Yield: 4 burgers.

[mr x]

Japanese Burgers With Wasabi Ketchup

Time: 30 minutes

FOR THE WASABI KETCHUP:

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon wasabi paste

FOR THE BURGERS:

1/2 cup panko or other dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole milk
8 ounces ground sirloin
8 ounces ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sesame oil, for coating hands

4 brioche buns, for serving.

1. Prepare the wasabi ketchup: Whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce and wasabi paste.

2. Make the burgers: Prepare a grill for medium heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk and let rest 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sirloin, pork, onion, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Knead the meat until it becomes sticky and binds together; divide into 4 parts.

3. Lightly dab your hands with sesame oil. Using your palms, roll each part of the meat into a ball, then pat the ball flat, shifting it from hand to hand, to form a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Make a shallow indentation across the center of the patty with the side of your hand, to keep it from puffing while it grills.

4. Grill the burgers, flipping twice, until browned and cooked through, with no pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, they may be broiled or sautéed.) Let rest for 2 minutes. Serve on buns, topped with some wasabi ketchup.

Yield: 4 servings.

[NASH]

You're a man on a mission! Some good looking stuff!

[mr x]

Couple in there that look interesting for sure. May just have to run some pork shoulder through the grinder....