In honor of Thanksgiving, here's a recipe from Burgers Every Way by Emily Haft Bloom that uses the centerpiece poultry: rosemary turkey burgers from the Mustard Seed Cafe in Los Angeles. Bloom explains that the rosemary sourdough bread is what makes this burger special, but you can also use regular sourdough bread spread with a mixture of rosemary and butter. The patties also contain rosemary and use mayonnaise to keep moist.
Note: Want to read about the creation of this recipe? Check it out here.
- makes four 5-ounce burgers -
Although packaged turkey meat will work, for best results, grind your own meat in a meat grinder. Marmite or Vegemite can be found in the international aisle of most supermarkets.
1 small eggplant, about 6-8 ounces
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 anchovy filet, mashed to a paste (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)
1/4 teaspoon marmite
1 pound boneless, skinless turkey thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes.
1. Preheat oven to 400°F and set wrack to upper-middle position. Rub eggplant with olive oil until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap with aluminum foil and set on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until completely tender, turning once, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, remove from foil, and scrape flesh away from skin. Chop flesh until fine purée is formed. There should be about 4-6 ounces of purée.
2. Combine soy sauce, anchovy, and marmite in small bowl with back of fork until homogenous and marmite is completely dissolved and anchovies are smooth. Toss meat with anchovy/soy/marmite mixture until thoroughly coated (if using pre-ground turkey, mix together by hand until homogeneous). Place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die of meat grinder in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.
3. Pass meat through grinder. Combine with eggplant purée. Form into four patties. At this point, follow your favorite burger recipe to cook the patties, making sure to cook them to at least 145°F.
[Photograph: Caroline Russock]
Michael Psilakis' Lamb Burger might not be a traditional burger, but it is one awesome sandwich. The burger consists of a 70/30 mix of ground lamb and pork seasoned with charred onions, fresh parsley, and dill, Dijon mustard, ground fennel, coriander, and cumin. The combination of meats and the intense combination of flavoring elements make for a burger that can truly stand alone. And when I say alone, I mean alone. Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, or any type of burger condiment would be superfluous—the patty is juicy enough to carry the weight of any bun.
When I made them at home I was a bit concerned about the fact that I was unable to find the caul fat called for in the recipe. My fear was that the perfectly spiced patties would fall to pieces in the pan without the support of the casing. I decided to form the burgers early in the day, give them a chance to rest in the fridge, and hope for the best.
Note: Read my breakdown of the burger's components to see how I came up with this recipe.
- makes 4 burgers -
8 ounces pork butt, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces good-quality slab bacon, trimmed of rind, cut into 1-inch cubes
12 slices crisp cooked bacon
4 Bacon Attack! buns (recipe below)
4 tablespoons baconnaise
1. Place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die of meat grinder in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat and bacon chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.
2. Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Pass meat through grinder twice. Form into four patties, about 4-inches wide and 1/2-inch tall. Refrigerate until ready for use.
3. Slice buns. Brush lightly with bacon fat or butter (or leave plain), then place under broiler or in toaster oven until golden brown, about 1 minute. Spread 1 tablespoon baconnaise on top half of each bun, followed by three slices crisp cooked bacon.
4. Cook patties in well-seasoned cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until well-browned and crisp on first side, about 2-3 minutes. Flip patties and cook on second side until cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
5. Transfer patties to burger bun bottoms, close sandwiches, and serve.
- makes 6-8 buns -
1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/4-inch lardons
1 large egg
2 tablespoon active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1. Cook bacon in skillet over low heat, stirring frequently, until well-rendered and crisp. Transfer bacon bits to small bowl, reserving rendered fat separately (you should have about 1/4 cup of rendered bacon fat - if you have more, set aside all but 1/4 cup for another use. If you have less, add vegetable oil to make up the difference)
2. Separate egg, reserving white and yolk separately. In a bowl of standing mixer, combine yeast, water, sugar, egg yolk, salt, rendered bacon, and bacon fat. Whisk to combine. let stand for 5 minutes. Add flour and combine in standing mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Dough should be soft and sticky (it won't pull away from sides of bowl). Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F and set oven rack to upper-middle position. On well-floured work surface, divide dough into 6 to 8 even pieces (depending on if you want large or small buns) and shape each into a ball. Place on greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly with palm of well-floured hand. Spary with non-stick spray, cover with plastic, and let rest 15 minutes until slightly risen. Meanwhile, whisk egg white until slightly frothy.
4. Bake for 4 minutes. remove from oven, brush with egg white, and return to oven until golden brown and well-risen, about 4-8 minutes longer. Set on wire rack to cool.
[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger]
As I found out from an epic post on eGullet, a patty melt is a very definite thing. You can dress up a burger in many different ways but the patty melt is locked in stone. It only has a few ingredients, all of which are crucial. Rye bread provides the foundation and the Swiss cheese is a natural partner. Then it's just grilled onions and a hamburger. Thanks to the interplay of all the ingredients, you don't need ketchup or mustard. Believe me, I tried a little of both and it was oddly distracting.
It only has a few ingredients, all of which are crucial.
The only trick I could discern from Saveur is to cook the burger and onions separately, combine them on the sandwich with a couple cheese slices, then griddle the whole thing. The sandwich comes out of the pan all buttered and crisp on top with two slices of melted Swiss cheese, griddled onions, and a perfectly cooked patty inside. It's a wonder.
This is honestly the first time I've ever made one from scratch. I'm going to have to change that.
Note: Throughout October, Kerry's secret ingredient is liquid smoke.
[Photographs: Kerry Saretsky]
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of liquid smoke is how it's made. It may seem like some magic potion corked inside a bottle, since how could smoke ever become a liquid? But in fact, the process is so sensible and straightforward that I am not surprised by how inexpensive the product is, but rather by how obscure it remains.
Liquid smoke starts with wood. The two most popular varieties are mesquite and hickory, but apple and pecan woods are also used. The wood is heated to a slow smolder until smoke begins to waft from the hot wood. The smoke, and its flavor, is trapped in tiny particles of water vapor. Once cooled, the water vapor condenses back into liquid form, still containing all the flavor. Liquid smoke is then aged, and finally filtered before being bottled.
I have been raving extensively about the benefits of bison meat, and in this recipe, I marinate the bison in liquid smoke, then crust it in spicy black pepper. Then, I simply roast the steak, slice it, and place it in a French roll with horseradish crème fraîche and baby arugula.
Note: Read my breakdown of the burger's components to see how I came up with this recipe.
- makes 4 burgers -
8 ounces beef sirloin, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 ounces well-marbled beef chuck, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 ounces well-marbled beef brisket, fat cap intact, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 Martin's Sandwich Rolls
4 tablespoons Shack Sauce (recipe follows)
4 leaves of green-leaf lettuce, clipped
8 center-cut slices ripe plum tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
4 slices yellow American cheese
1. Place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die of meat grinder in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.
2. Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Pass meat through grinder twice. Form into four disks, about 2-inches tall, and 2.5-inches wide. Refrigerate until ready for use.
3. Open buns but do not split hinge. Brush lightly with butter, then place under broiler or in toaster oven until golden brown, about 1 minute. Spread 1 tablespoon Shack Sauce on top half of each bun (for true authenticity, squirt out of squeeze bottle into three lines, three passes on each line). Place 1 leaf lettuce and 2 slices tomato on top half of each bun.
4. Using wadded-up paper towel, rub inside of heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet with vegetable oil, then place over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season beef pucks on top side with salt and pepper, then place, seasoned side down, in skillet. Using back of heavy, flat spatula, press down on beef pucks firmly to form 4-inch round patties, being careful not to let it stick to bottom of spatula. Season top side with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp brown crust has formed, about 2-minutes.
5. Carefully scrape patties from skillet, and flip. Top each patty with 1 slice American cheese. Cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute longer. Transfer patties to burger bun bottoms, close sandwiches, and serve.
- makes about 3/4 cup sauce -
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 slices kosher dill pickle
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down sides of blender with rubber spatula as necessary.
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
Bacon, Pear, and Cheese Sandwich: You know, because sometimes a grilled cheese is just not enough. You deem that what that classic could really use is a bunch of bacon. I mean, when has that ever failed a sandwich before? So how about a few slices of pear to balance it all out, and make you feel a little better about yourself? But only a few.
Instead of feeling like an overstuffed grilled cheese, the sandwich comes out unique and perfectly proportioned. It's like a brand new creation. I have Simply Recipes to thank for this. It may read like a train-wreck, but the result is slightly crunchy and gooey, with a nice bright shot of acidity from the pear to balance it all out. It's perfect as a nice light dinner, or paired with some soup.
The Italians know how to do fast food. If ever you find yourself cruising down an Italian autostrada or stuck in an airport, rather than settling for a sub-par hamburger, chances are you can find a deli-style counter where you can order a panini-style grilled sandwich filled with superb cured meats and melted cheese, which sit between two crisp sheets of hearth-baked bread. With this memory in mind, I set out to follow Nancy Silverton's instructions in her aptly titled book Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book.
Making a sandwich like the autostrada State-side is not quite so easy—especially when you only want one or two of them. It took a fair bit of haggling to convince the gentlemen at the Whole Foods counter to slice me one-eighth-pound portions of one-sixteenth-inch-thin mortadella, coppa, soppressata, and prosciutto; I had to cross the store to get the fancy-cheese counter people talking to the deli guys to order sliced aged provolone. But the result, cooked on a grill pan pressed down with a heavy cast-iron skillet, took me back to Italy; the crusty bread against the melty cheese and salty meats, the punch of pickled pepper keeping it all in check.
Note: Read my guide to different cuts of beef for a look into the development of this blend.
- makes 1 pound of burger meat -
Follow your favorite burger recipe, substituting this meat blend for the ground beef. For best texture, handle meat as gently and as little as possible after grinding.
6 ounces beef sirloin, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
5 ounces beef brisket, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
12 ounces oxtail, fat and meat carefully removed from bone and trimmed of silverskin, bones discarded or reserved for another use (about 5 ounces of combined meat and fat)
1. Place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die of meat grinder in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.
2. Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Grind meat and refrigerate immediately until ready for use. Handle as gently as possible.
1. Place bowl and blade of food processor in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece, and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.
2. Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Working in two batches, place meat cubes in food processor and pulse until medium-fine grind is achieved, about 8 to 10 one-second pulses, scraping down processor bowl as necessary. Refrigerate ground meat immediately until ready for use. Handle as gently as possible.
Note: You may know Carolyn Cope as Umami Girl. She stops by every Tuesday during prime veggie season to help us cook through seasonal surplus with ease.
For a few fleeting years a short while back, a quirky little lunch shop graced downtown Hoboken, New Jersey. They called it FOOD 3663, for the numbers you might dial on a phone to spell "food," but only in theory, since they didn't have the phone number to match.
One bite of this oddly addictive sandwich and you'll wholeheartedly agree: if the sandwich lady says the baby needs socks, then the baby needs socks.
The shop itself operated just like the name. At first glance it made you stop and scratch your head in confusion, but ultimately you came to appreciate, even crave, its peculiar internal logic. That tiny establishment, which barely accommodated a large gym bag in its center aisle, packed more weird experiences per square foot than any other place in town. If they'd had a dime for every time I stood in front of the counter quietly wondering, "Did that really just happen?" they'd still be in business for sure.
One day the cashier correctly identified my perfume before my second foot had crossed the threshold (and I'm very light with the spritzer finger, I swear). The next time I went in for lunch, he was wearing my perfume.
[Photograph: Robin Bellinger]
2 portobello mushrooms: $3.74
2 English muffins (pro-rated): $1.40
Parsley (pro-rated): $0.75
1 pound sweet potatoes: $1.69
Pantry items: Garlic, butter, mustard, olive oil, salt
As a child I refused to eat mushrooms--slimy!--until I was somehow talked into trying a portobello mushroom "burger." It was fantastic, and I never looked back.
Now I'm of the faction that believes burgers are burgers and mushroom sandwiches are mushroom sandwiches (and veggie patties are best ignored or forgotten). This fine hot mushroom sandwich is proud to be its succulent and flavorful self.
You don't have to call it a burger to eat it with fries. Baked sweet potato fries make this meal stick to your ribs, but if you're in the mood for something lighter you should be able to buy a pound of broccoli or a head of lettuce for salad without breaking your $8 budget.
Note: On Wednesdays, Andrea Lynn, senior editor of Chile Pepper magazine, drops by with Serious Heat.
It was a banh mi sushi roll that inspired it all. I had a few friends over for a sushi-making gathering, where I tried out a banh mi sushi roll (very good, in fact). One friend remarked, “What is a banh mi?” For those not in the know, this is the sandwich of all sandwiches for spicy food lovers. Slathered with a mayo-Sriracha mixture, a banh mi is a Vietnamese-inspired sandwich made from pickled veggies, cilantro, jalapenos and various meats piled on a French baguette.
Just because there's no banh mi restaurant in your area, doesn’t mean you can’t experience the deliciousness of this exotic sandwich. I tried to make an easy version, but with enough taste and pep to still mimic the original. My problem with most banh mi recipes is they're too complicated to attempt, either with time-consuming braised pork or other difficult recipes for the meat.
When I think of "sandwich," I want it to be easy. One option to make this even quicker is using supermarket paté (I got mine from Whole Foods) and boneless pork chops. I think it's a pretty easy solution to this zesty, flavorful sandwich without compromising too much of the original flavors associated with it.
Editor's note: Philadelphia food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by each week with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
A few months back when Serious Eats was cooking our book, Almost Meatless, there was lots of chatter about favorite nonmeat ingredients that boast meaty textures and flavors enough to make actual meat an afterthought or just completely unnecessary. If you cook an almost-meatless menu or a seriously meatless menu for most meals, these ingredients come in particularly handy.
One of the most mentioned of these nonmeat favorites was eggplant. Eggplant Parmesan, moussaka, stir fries, casseroles--the suggestions went on and on, and plenty of people mentioned that even meat-loving friends and family fell for the meatiness of meatless eggplant dishes.
As a great lover of sandwiches, I keep many near and dear to my heart. The turkey club with its three slices of toasted white bread topped with mayo, salty bacon, and roasted turkey. The reuben with its creamy Russian dressing and tangy kraut. The simple grilled cheese and tomato. I could go on and on.
I am pleased to introduce the newest inductee to my personal sandwich hall-of fame. Drum roll, please. The Vermont Croque Monsieur from Tracey Medeiros's Dishing Up Vermont is about as close to sandwich perfection as you can get.
Slices of raisin nut bread are dipped into a cinnamon-nutmeg batter and fried to French toast perfection. Sounds pretty good, right? But wait, there's more! Roasted turkey, smoked ham, and Gouda goes in between the two slices. Hold on, it gets even better! A spread of maple-scented mascarpone—studded with chopped chives—keeps everything together. The whole thing is toasted in the oven until the cheese melts, the mascarpone oozes, and the French toast has just the slightest hint of crunch.
I hate the summer: the heat, the ennui. Labor Day is the weekend I look forward to for months—when I start imagining the first of the cool fall breezes and the first day of school (yes, I was one of those kids). It's my real New Year. As summer takes one last gasp, I finally let myself enjoy the heat, perching at a picnic table full of sandwiches, and I find myself a pool somewhere. There is urgency to Labor Day: grill, tan, sweat. It's now or never.
I wanted to give you the recipe that I will be making for la famille this Labor Day. As some of you read in my post last week, my favorite sandwich this year is the lobster sandwich from Daniel Rose's restaurant Spring in Paris. Since so many of you thought it looked amazing (which it is), I thought I'd try to recreate it in my own kitchen. All it took was some local Florida spiny lobster, fresh citrus, chives, celery, and mayonnaise.
I took my first bite d'homard when I was in cooking school in Paris this summer. We were in the kitchen nine hours a day, six days a week. In fact, I was so exhausted and so overwhelmed with food that I hard ate anything. So when my best friend suggested we trek up towards Montmartre for lobster sandwiches, I figured it was about time I sat down, let someone else do the cooking, and ate.
[Robin Bellinger]
This deliciously unusual sandwich comes from Clotilde Dusoulier's Chocolate and Zucchini—the book, not the blog! Making your own tomato condiment may sound a bit fussy, but it’s actually very little trouble (and, more important, totally worth it).
Although some people are still skeptical about sardines, this sandwich should convince any but the most committed haters: up against sweet tomatoes, creamy cheese, and pungent greens, the oily little fish don’t seem quite as aggressive as they otherwise might.
Be sure to cut off the crusts—it makes a difference—and if you like a double-decker, then do as Clotilde does and use these quantities make two club sandwiches instead of three regular ones. These would be great for a picnic; indoors or out, complete the meal with stuffed eggs.
I'm not sure where the spark came from, but sometime last week I set forth on a mission to create a meatball sub. I figured this would be laughably easy. From what I could tell, there were only four elements: meatballs, sauce, bun, and cheese. But most recipes waste well over 12 ingredients on meatballs alone, which put them out of the Dinner Tonight territory before I even began. My goal then became to make a tasty meatball sub in less than an hour using as few ingredients as possible. And I needed to make the meatballs from scratch. For help I consulted the Joy of Cooking, which cut down the meatball ingredients without compromising loads of flavor.
The sauce stumped me for a while—until I just picked up a freshly made batch from my local market. I'd suggest using your favorite simple tomato sauce. The meatballs are the real star.
Photograph by Bill Milne
The truffles are optional on this burger, which is good because you probably don't have any lying around. But you can replace it with other wild mushrooms for that earthy flavor. Keller changes his restaurant version in this recipe by replacing the foie gras with a tart pickled onion topping, a good foil for the rich meat and wine sauce.
Photograph by Bill Milne
This recipe mixes pesto into the beef and plops the pesto-laced patties on top of a pesto-topped bun. Pesto and beef lovers, this is for you!
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