Wild Mushroom-Cheddar Burger

I have to tell ya, Bobby Flay knows his stuff.  I love his cooking - it's a bit labor intensive, but if you're willing to put in the love, it's totally worth it.  I have his cookbook "Burgers, Fries & Shakes" cookbook - and I haven't found anything that wasn't delicious. 

Hubby and I made this one last week when the weather was beautiful and we couldn't help but hear our grill calling out to us.  We couldn't ignore it. 

The only feedback I have on this particular burger is the fact that the mushrooms have to be chopped.  Disclaimer - this is only my opinion!  But, I think next time, I can still achieve the exact same result for my tastebuds if I did NOT chop all those mushrooms.  Next time, I'm leaving them sliced.  You decide what you want to do!  :-) 

Also - I decided to actually make the Chipotle Ketchup and I'll tell ya, it was well worth it.  This I would not compromise on - it was A.W.E.S.O.M.E. and absolutely defined the burger. 

Wild Mushroom-Cheddar Burger
Original recipe by Bobby Flay's "Burgers, Fries & Shakes" cookbook, pg. 66

2 T olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
12 oz. assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, lobster, chanterelles, and stemmed stiitakes), chopped
1 small shallot, finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean) or ground turkey (90% lean)
1 1/2 T canola oil
4 slices sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
Chipotle Ketchup (recipe follows)

Chipotle Ketchup
1 C ketchup
2-3 T pureed canned chipotle in adobo (depending on how spicy you prefer it)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the ketchup, chipotle, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  (I actually threw all of it in a small food chopper to make it as smooth as possible.)  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.  The sauce will keep for 1 week in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

For the burgers:
1. Heat the olive oil and buter in a large saute pan over high heat until almost smoking.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the thyme and parsley and transfer to a bowl.
2. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6oz. each).  Form each portion loosely into a 3/4" thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. **  Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the burgers, using the canola oil and topping each one with a slice of cheese and a basting cover during the last minute of cooking. 
4. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top each burger with chipotle ketchup, if using, and a large spoonful of the mushrooms.  Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately.

** Why make this deep depression in your raw burger?  As you cook your burgers, they will naturally raise in the center.  By pressing in the middle, you will avoid the "football round" shaped burgers.

Seriously, need I say more??

Please click here for a printable version of this recipe - Kitchen Groovy

Enjoy and live with gusto!
Carina

Delicious Chicken Patties

On Monday, I posted this cool little tip about burger patty molds.  I loved the fact that I didn’t get my hands, my counter or my cutting board dirty (of course, I washed them anyway!).  As promised, here is the recipe for Chicken Patty Burgers courtesy of the great Guy Fieri. 

I must say that I am not a huge fan of chicken or turkey burgers – if not made right, they can be quite dry so I tend to shy away from making them at home.  However, this recipe intrigued me due to all the juicy ingredients included.  I did adjust to my own tastes – for example, I replaced the olives with mushrooms and omitted the artichokes.  I think mushrooms hold moisture better than olives.  And next time, I will add less onions. 

Susie loved the burger (but again, there were too many onions so she ate around it) but even more importantly, it passed the “Hubby Test”.  My husband, I'm sure like many men out there, loves a good and greasy  red meat burger.  He is skeptical anytime I try to go “all healthy” on him.  But, he tried it and loved it so that was good enough for me!  Added bonus: in addition to taste, it’s packed with veggies!

Another tip: I recommend serving with mayo instead of ketchup and mustard.

Enjoy!

Chicken Patties

·         Cook Time:10 min

·         Level: Easy

·         Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 ounces olive oil 1/2 red onion, diced 4 tablespoons diced black olives 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1 jalapeno, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced 1/4 cup diced artichoke hearts 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/4 teaspoon ground sage 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs 1 egg Ketchup Mustard Toasted sesame buns Lettuce Tomato

Directions

In a medium saute pan over medium heat add, 1-ounce oil and all raw vegetables and saute until translucent. Remove and cool.

Add veggies to raw chicken and mix thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients and egg. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 4 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In same saute pan add remaining 1-ounce olive oil, and cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Serve with ketchup and mustard on toasted sesame buns with lettuce and tomato.