Tidewater Kitchen - June 2011

 

Burgers on the Grill
by
Pamela Meredith-Doyle

 

What’s better than getting a group of friends together to have a grilled burger, especially in the summer? Grilling and summer go together like peas and carrots. My family loves burgers year round, but we love to get out there around the grill with friends.
Hamburgers can be very simple or on the gourmet side. You can either add a bunch of yummy stuff on the side or on top, or you can just keep it plain. Your burgers can also be made with turkey, shrimp, lamb, or even veggies – they don’t always have to start with beef.
Lean burger meat is healthiest for you, but you will lose some of the flavor that comes with the fat. If you want to limit fat, don’t eat burgers as often. If you really don’t want the fat, be creative. Your burger doesn’t have to be made of meat.
I love to add lots of fresh seasonings to my burgers. You can add chopped onions, barbecue spices, parsley, chili powder and even garlic. When mixing in seasonings, you don’t want to over-work the meat as it will toughen your burgers. Mix gently – just enough to combine and ensure moist burgers.
Once you figure out the seasoning for your burger, you can stuff it with a cube of your favorite cheese, a tablespoon of salsa, sliced onions or any number of other delicacies. There are also tons of things you can pile on top of your burger. I love grilled onions and peppers, along with some cheese. Blue cheese, pepperjack cheese, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese are favorites around my house. Don’t forget the mayo, guacamole, hummus, ketchup, mustards, pickles, relish and jalapenos. No matter how you fix them, have fun with them and enjoy!

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED HAMBURGERS
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef chuck
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
3-1/2 oz. soft goat cheese
2 T. refrigerated commercial pesto

Combine the ground beef, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Combine the goat cheese and pesto in a separate smaller bowl. Refrigerate both the beef and the goat cheese mixture fora half hour.
Preheat the grill to medium-high for 10 minutes.
Form the patties into 6 equal balls. Picking up one ball at a time, remove about 1/3 of the beef and set aside. Make a dent in the large piece of beef and fill it with approximately 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture. Cover the goat cheese with the beef that was set aside and pinch the edges to seal in the cheese. This step is crucial so that the cheese does not come out as it is cooking.
Grill the patties until they are cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium.

MEATLOAF BURGERS with TOMATO JAM
2/3 cup finely diced onions
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1/4 t. ground cumin
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
6 kaiser rolls
butter or olive oil for rolls
sliced onions, lettuce and tomato
Italian tomato jam

Preheat the grill to medium-high for 10 minutes.
Melt the butter in a heavy medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, salt, cayenne, thyme, pepper and cumin and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the meat, egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the cooled vegetables, mixing until well combined. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties.
Grill the burgers over direct medium heat until the temperature reaches 160° for medium inside the burgers, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the burger. Brush the rolls on the cut side with butter. About 2 minutes before the burgers are done, lay the rolls on the grill, cut side down and grill until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the hamburgers and the rolls from the grill. Serve with onion, lettuce and tomato jam.

TOMATO JAM
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
salt to taste
1 T. finely chopped fresh garlic
1- 28 oz. can chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 t. honey
1/2 t. finely ground nutmeg
1/4 t. finely ground cinnamon
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.
Add the vinegar, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the tomato mixture has thickened, about 1 hour. The mixture will thicken as it cools. This is also great on bruschetta, chicken burgers or over fish!

CLASSIC BEEF BURGER
Serves 6
2 lbs. grass-fed premium ground beef (80 percent lean and 20 percent fat)
1 T. good dijon mustard
3 T. good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grill
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
3 sandwich-size English muffins, halved
Good mayonnaise
Caramelized onions

Get a charcoal fire going or heat a gas grill, for about 10 minutes.
Place the ground beef in a large bowl and add the mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix gently with a fork to combine, taking care not to compress the ingredients. Shape the meat into 6 (3 1/2-inch) patties of equal size and thickness.
When the grill is medium-hot, brush the grill grate with oil to keep the burgers from sticking. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Using a big spatula, turn the burgers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare or more, or cook longer if you prefer hamburgers more well done.
Meanwhile, break apart the English muffins and toast the 6 halves, cut side down, on the grill. Spread each half with mayo and top with a burger and then with a heaping tablespoon of caramelized onions. Serve hot.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS
1 T. good olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
2 lbs. yellow onions, peeled and sliced in half-rounds
1/2 t. fresh thyme leaves
2 T. sherry wine vinegar
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large shallow pot, add the onions and thyme and toss with the oil. Place the lid on top and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes to sweat the onions. Remove the lid and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. If the onions are cooking too fast, lower the heat. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes, scraping the brown bits from the pan. Season to taste (they should be very highly seasoned).

GREEK LAMB MIX
1-1/2 pounds ground lamb
1/3 cup each yogurt and feta
1 t. each garlic, mint, lemon zest and salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Shape into four 1-inch-thick patties. Brush with oil; grill 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve in pitas with onion, tomato, cucumber and tzatziki.

MIDDLE EASTERN
Mix Greek yogurt with a dash of chili oil and a pinch of salt. Make Greek Lamb Burgers above; serve on flatbread with the yogurt sauce.

SALMON
Dice 3/4 lb. wild salmon; puree half with 2 scallions. Mix with the remaining diced salmon, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and 4 ounces chopped smoked salmon. Shape into 2 patties; cook as directed for Classic Burger. Serve on sesame buns with sautéed spinach and mayonnaise mixed with mustard.

CHICKEN
Mix 1-1/4 pounds ground chicken with ½ cup each grated onion and panko, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, and salt and pepper. Shape into four 1-inch-thick patties and chill. Brush with oil and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side on an oiled grill. Serve on sesame buns.

PESTO CHICKEN
Make Chicken Burgers above. Top with sliced mozzarella in the last minute of cooking (cover to melt). Mix equal parts pesto and mayonnaise, and brush on toasted rolls. Serve the patties on the rolls with tomato and arugula.

SALTIMBOCCA
Make Chicken Burgers, above. Top with sage, sliced fontina and prosciutto in the last minute of cooking (cover to melt). Top with olive oil and parsley and serve on onion rolls.

CALIFORNIA
Mix 1-1/4 pounds ground chicken, 1/2 cup panko, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt and salt. Shape and cook as directed for Chicken Burgers. Serve on whole-grain bread with sprouts, cucumber, tomato and avocado.

PORTOBELLO
Peel 2 portobello mushroom caps; season with salt. Sandwich 2 slices muenster between the caps and secure with toothpicks. Dip in beaten eggs, then in panko; fry in hot oil until crisp. Remove the toothpicks. Serve on a soft bun with pickles and tomato.

VEGGIE
Fry a store-bought veggie burger (there are many different brands, so just pick your favorite); top with mozzarella in the last minute of cooking (cover to melt). Serve on a roll with basil, tomato, salt, pepper and olive oil.