Nacho burgers

This burger recipe from Bobby Flay had our name all over it- salsa and cheese sauce on a burger??  Yes, please!

NACHO BURGERS

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Salsa:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

3 plum tomatoes, finely diced

2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt

Cheese sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Burgers:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck

Vegetable oil, for brushing

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Sliced pickled jalapeños and blue corn tortilla chips, for topping

Instructions

To prepare the salsa, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt.

To prepare the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened (5 minutes). Stir in the Jack cheese until melted, then stir in the pecorino; season with salt and pepper. Let cool until spreadable.

To prepare the burgers, heat a grill to moderately high heat. Form the beef into 4 patties and brush with oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill until browned outside and medium within, about 4 minutes per side. Place the burgers on the buns, top with the cheese sauce, salsa, jalapeños and chips, and serve.

Pimiento cheese bacon burger

As soon as we saw these pimiento cheese bacon burgers on Bobby Flay's BBQ Addiction, I knew they would quickly be on our menu.  It's hard to resist a juicy burger topped with ooey gooey pimiento cheese- so delicious!

PIMIENTO CHEESE BACON BURGER

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup drained and finely diced roasted red peppers (I used jarred pimientos)

12 ounces extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

12 ounces extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

4 slices Vidalia or other sweet onion, grilled

4 thin slices beefsteak tomato

1 large dill pickle, thinly sliced

Instructions

Whisk the mayonnaise, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the pimientos, white Cheddar and yellow Cheddar and gently fold until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Meanwhile, preheat a grill to high. Divide the ground chuck into four equal portions. Form each portion into a 3/4-inch burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Brush both sides of the burgers with the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes each side for medium doneness. During the last minute of cooking, place a dollop of the pimiento cheese mixture on top of each burger and close the grill lid. Cook until the cheese has just melted, about 1 minute.

Place the burgers on the buns and top with the bacon, onions, tomatoes, and pickles.

Worcestershire burgers with homemade ranch dressing

We made these Worcestershire burgers from Rachael Ray a few weeks ago, and one look at that gooey cheese and dripping sauce and we knew they were going to be delicious!

WORCESTERSHIRE BURGERS WITH RANCH DRESSING

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp grated onion
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 deli slices (not too thin) Provolone cheese
3 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 cup sour cream
1/4 - 1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup finely chopped dill, parsley, chives and thyme
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp hot sauce
1 clove garlic, grated
Bread or rolls of your choice

Instructions:
Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat. Combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, onion, salt and lots of pepper. Form into 4 patties (thinner at the center and thicker at the edges for even cooking). Add the oil to the hot pan, add the patties and cook, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare to medium. Top the patties with the cheese, folded to fit the burgers, during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and remove from the heat.

In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, buttermilk, herbs, lemon juice, hot sauce and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Put the cheeseburgers on the roll bottoms and top with the shallots. Slather the roll tops with the dressing and set into place.

      

French onion dip burgers

So it's back-to-back burger posts here on Lindsay's Menu, but what can I say, we love grilled beef!  We made these french onion dip burgers from Rachael Ray last week for Sunday dinner, and they were DELICIOUS!!  There's just something fun about putting potato chips on a burger. (Pile on the creamy caramelized onions, too- you won't regret it!).

Basil burgers

We've finally had success growing basil this year (thanks, Miracle Gro!), and these basil burgers were the perfect reason to pluck some of those yummy leaves off.  This is a pretty simple burger- the meat is just seasoned with salt and pepper, and the blender makes quick work of the basil cream sauce.  It's a twist on the classic tomato-basil-mozarella combo-- and it's delicious!!

English muffin burgers

The official name of these burgers are Niman Ranch burgers, but since that is referencing a specific brand of meat (which I didn't use), I've renamed them English muffin burgers. This is a simple recipe, but the few ingredients are very flavorful, and this is one great burger!

Memphis Beale Street burgers

Last week we tried Memphis Beale Street burgers from the Neely's, of Memphis BBQ fame. This one is a no-brainer - big meaty burger with bacon, pepperjack cheese, and a barbecue-mayo sauce. Since we don't have the Neely's dry rub or sauce, we subbed with our favorites from McClard's. YUM!

Photo credit: Foodtv.com

Burgers al pastor

Dinner last night was burgers al pastor from Mexican Made Easy. These burgers don't have many ingredients but they have a lot of flavor! (I did a mix of ground pork and ground sirloin instead of all pork - I'm a believer that anything called a burger should have some beef in it). Simple and delicious!

Best. burger. ever

We had some friends over last night to watch the Jets vs Steelers, and it was a unanimous decision that these spicy poblano burgers from Cooking Light (!) were PHENOMENAL. Like, top-5-best recipes-ever material. The toppings are fantastic - I spread the chipotle sour cream on thick and added a big helping of the pickled red onions, too. Seriously, make these immediately- you won't be disappointed.

Welsh rarebit burger

We made Rachael Ray's welsh rarebit burgers this week (link to follow later, it isn't up on her site yet). It's an open-face burger, served on a slice of bread and covered in a cheese sauce - what's not to love??

Poblano popper super-slides

We actually made these poblano popper sliders weeks ago, but Rachael Ray's website took forever to post the recipe and I wasn't in the mood to type it out. So, better late than never, right? All of the toppings were fantastic- loved the quick-pickled onions and the avocado cream sauce!

Bacon burgers

We were craving big, beefy burgers last week, and this bacon burger recipe from Tyler Florence/Food & Wine magazine really hit the spot. We followed the recipe as is, except we scaled it back to feed 2. But bacon and beef weren't enough - we added to the gluttony with these cornmeal fried onion rings. YUM!

Pimiento cheeseburgers

Dinner tonight was pimiento cheeseburgers from the Rachael Ray show. I have writer's block on what to say about them, other than they were simple to make and tasted great. Enjoy!

Jalapeno, avocado and bacon burger

If you read the title of this post, enough said. But I'll elaborate - this jalapeno, avocado and bacon burger recipe combined several of our favorite things to make one delicious burger! Again, a recipe that calls for queso fresco, which is impossible to find around here. I substituted gruyere cheese, which is a completely different consistency, but a taste we love. Consequently, my cheese sauce was thicker than I expected (more of a flavored mayo), but still tasted great.

Burger with caramelized onion & bacon jam

We tried a new burger recipe last week from Every Day with Rachael Ray - the Lure burger with caramelized onion & bacon jam. A lot of classic burger flavors with the ketchup, mayo and mustard, but the deliciously sweet caramelized onions mixed with bacon made it extra-special!

11.10.09 Lasagna burgers

Dinner last night was lasagna burgers from the Rachael Ray show. These were simple to make and the two sauces were delicious. It really tasted like lasagna - on a bun!

10.20.09 Pesto sliders

Dinner tonight was pesto sliders from Cooking Light. This isn't really a recipe as much as it is an assembly line - make mini burgers (ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper) and grill them on a grill pan over medium-high heat. Then just spread the bottom of a roll with store-bought pesto (I used one from Classico), top with a tomato slice and some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. So simple, but so delicious!!

09.24.09 Poblano burgers

There is a new(ish) restaurant in Hillcrest called The House. So far the menu is pretty limited, but the burgers are perfection. We replicated their BBQ burger for dinner last night. Our version was pretty simple - roasted poblano peppers, ground sirloin seasoned with salt and pepper, smothered in BBQ sauce, and stacked up on an onion roll. To roast the poblanos, heat the grill to high, place whole peppers on the rack, and char each side until completely black. When they're finished, put them in a bowl and cover with saran wrap. Let the peppers "steam" for 10 minutes, then peel the skin and remove the seeds.

06.08.09 Carolina burger

Dinner tonight was another burger recipe from Bobby Flay's new book, Burgers, Fries and Shakes. This time it was the Carolina burger, with mustard barbecue sauce and coleslaw. Again, we used the lean ground sirloin from Fresh Market and I think it really makes a difference here.

Carolina burger
Serves 4

Mustard barbecue sauce:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Green onion slaw:
1 cup coarsely chopped green onions
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 head of purple cabbage, finely shredded (about 3 cups)
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
Kosher salt and black pepper
Canola oil
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

1. To make the barbecue sauce, blend the vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and oil in a blender until emulsified. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the black pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving).

2. To make the dressing for the slaw, blend the green onions, vinegar, 1/4 cup cold water, chiles, mayonnaise, and oil in a blender until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Put the cabbage and red onion in a bowl, add the dressing, and stir until combined. Fold in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. (The slaw can be made 2 hours in advance and refrigerated).

2. Divide meat into 4 equal portions, and form each portion loosely into ¾” thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb (a trick to prevent burger bulge as it cooks). Season both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Heat canola oil in a saute pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Cook the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on one side (about 3-4 minutes). Flip the burgers and cook until golden as well (about 3-4 minutes) for medium rare. Baste the burgers with some of the barbecue sauce during the last minute of cooking.

4. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top each one with more barbecue sauce and some of the slaw. Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately.

06.02.09 Argentinean burger

This recipe is so good I'm almost speechless. But I've regained composure long enough to post about it, so you're in luck. Dinner tonight was the Argentinean burger from Bobby Flay's new cookbook Burgers, Fries and Shakes. Bobby is very particular about his burgers, so I'm going to include his strict instructions - which we followed - on how to cook it. I don't know what the difference-maker was here - the beef, the bun, or the cooking method - but it was the BEST burger I've EVER eaten.

Serves 4
Chimichurri:
2 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck 80% lean (We strayed from the recipe here and used ground sirloin because it is leaner - 95%)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
4 slices Manchego cheese
4 hamburger buns (we used onion rolls)
1/2 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1. To make the chimichurri, combine the parsley, oregano and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the paprika, vinegar, and oil, season with salt and pepper and process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

2. Divide meat into 4 equal portions, and form each portion loosely into ¾” thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb (a trick to prevent burger bulge as it cooks). Season both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a saute pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Cook the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on one side (about 3 minutes). Flip the burgers and cook until golden as well (about 3 minutes) for medium rare. Top each burger with a slice of cheese, tent the pan with foil, and cook for 1 additional minute.

4. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top with a large dollop of chimichurri and sliced onion. Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately.