Food Recipes

There's nothing like sinking your teeth into a succulent hamburger. From simple char-grilled beef patties topped with a squirt of ketchup, to elaborate prime-meat compositions dressed to the nines with fashionable garnishes and served on artisanal buns, there’s a time and a place for every type of burger, and it starts with Memorial Day weekend. Pago Burger Recipe courtesy Pago in Salt Lake City, photo by Barrett Doran Diners love the seasonal, new American cuisine at this Salt Lake City, Utah, restaurant, which focuses on locally sourced ingredients. Considered a menu classic, with artisanal bacon burger is paired with a mineral-driven, high-acid white wine like Marco Carpineti’s Moro. 3 pounds ground chuck 1 pound ground short rib 1 pound ground brisket 1 pound Benton’s bacon, or other artisanal bacon ½ pound Gruyère, sliced ¾ pound kale 4 cups roasted mushrooms (recipe follows) 2 cups pickled red onion (recipe follows) ¼ cup Dijon vinaigrette (recipe follows) 1 cup black garlic aioli (recipe follows) 8 brioche buns In a large bowl, mix together the ground chuck, short rib and brisket. Form the mixture into 8 10-ounce patties. In a large pan set over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, reserving the rendered fat to cook the patties. Remove the bacon and set aside. In the hot, rendered bacon fat, pan sear the patties for about 3 minutes per side for medium rare. In the last few minutes of cooking, place a slice of Gruyère on the burgers, allowing it to melt. To serve, place kale leaves on the topside of the bottom end of a bun. Place a burger atop the kale and stack on the mushrooms, bacon and pickled onions. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Spread a layer of the aioli on the underside of the top half of the bun, and enclose the burger. Makes 8 burgers. Wine Recommendation “I really enjoy Bedrock Wine Co.’s Heirloom red blend with our burger,” says Scott Evans, owner and operator of Pago. “We have offered several vintages of the wine, and it’s a great pairing with our burger. The extra mineral and earthy components from the old vines do well with the black garlic aioli and of course the burger itself.” For the Black Garlic Aioli 2 egg yolks 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons black garlic purée ⅔ cup grapeseed oil Salt and pepper, to taste In a stainless steel mixing bowl combine the yolks, mustard, lemon juice and garlic purée. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking vigorously to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 1 cup. For the Dijon Vinaigrette 1 medium shallot, minced ½ large garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard ¼ cup Sherry vinegar ⅔ cup olive oil 1½ tablespoons tarragon, chopped Salt and Pepper, to taste Combine the shallot, garlic, mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the oil to create an emulsion. Season with tarragon, salt and pepper. Makes 1 cup. For the Pickled Red Onions 4½ cups water, divided 3 medium red onions, sliced ¼ inch thick 1½ cups white balsamic vinegar ¼ cup Clifford Farms Honey ¼ cup sugar 1 tablespoon salt Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Place the onions in a medium oven-proof bowl, and top with the boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the vinegar, honey, sugar and salt. Mix ingredients until they have dissolved. Drain the onions from the water and combine with warm pickling liquid. Let onions remain in the liquid until serving. Makes 2 cups. For the Roasted Mushrooms 2 sticks unsalted butter ¼ pound oyster mushrooms ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms ¼ pound baby beechwood mushrooms ¼ pound cremini mushrooms ¼ cup olive oil, divided 2 cloves garlic, smashed 3 sprigs thyme Salt and pepper, to taste Preheat an oven to 375˚F. Heat a large roasting pan in the preheated oven. Add the butter. As the butter starts to bubble, mix in the mushrooms. Pour in half of the olive oil, and stir to evenly coat the mushrooms. As the mushrooms absorb the butter and olive oil, add the remaining olive oil. Roast the mushrooms in the oven for 4 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, then add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Continue to roast until the mushrooms are caramelized, about 5–7 minutes. Makes 4 cups. Buffalo Burger with Vermont Cheddar, Apple Smoked Bacon and Chili Mayonnaise Recipe courtesy Juan Bochenski chef of Anasazi Restaurant, Santa Fe, New Mexico Stacked with artisanal bacon, escabeche onions and orange-chipotle mayo, the Buffalo Burger on the menu at Anasazi Restaurant, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, explodes with flavor. “[Its] smokiness and minerality enhance the [buffalo] meat and bacon flavors,” she says. 14 ounces buffalo meat, minced (85% lean, 15% fat) Salt and pepper, to taste 6 brioche buns, split 6 slices Vermont Cheddar Red Wine Escabeche Onions, to taste (recipe below) 12 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crispy Chili Maynonnaise, to taste (recipe below) Butter Lettuce, for garnish 1 tomato, sliced, for garnish Season the buffalo meat with salt and pepper, and form into 6 patties equal patties. Preheat a grill to 375˚F. When the grill is hot, cook the burgers for about 4–5 minutes per side for medium-rare. In the final minutes of cooking, place a slice of cheddar on each patty and allow it to melt. Place a burger on the bottom half of a brioche bun. Top with onions, 2 slices of bacon, chili mayonnaise, and garnish with butter lettuce leaves and tomato slices. Cover with the top half of the brioche bun. Serves 4. Chili Mayonnaise ⅛ cup chipotle adobo sauce ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard 1/6 bunch chives, finely chopped Orange juice, to taste Salt and ground pepper, to taste In a small bowl, whisk together the chipotle adobo, mayonnaise, mustard and chives. Season with orange juice and salt and pepper to taste. Yields approximately ¾ cup. Red Wine Escabeche Onions 3 cups red wine 1 cup red wine vinegar ⅓ bunch thyme ¼ bunch rosemary 3 large red onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the wine and vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add the herbs and onions and turn off the heat. Transfer the mixture to a holding container and refrigerate overnight. Makes approximately 2 cups. Red Wine Escabeche Onions 3 cups red wine 1 cup red wine vinegar ⅓ bunch thyme ¼ bunch rosemary 3 large red onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the wine and vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add the herbs and onions and turn off the heat. Transfer the mixture to a holding container and refrigerate overnight. Makes approximately 2 cups. Daniel Boulud's Classic Hamburger Recipe courtesy Daniel’s Dish: Entertaining at Home with a Four Star Chef (Filipacchi Publishing, 2003) The brainchild of celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, the db Burger is a hedonistic affair: a ground-sirloin patty stuffed with braised short ribs, foie gras and preserved black truffles.“No matter how much you dress up a burger, [it’s] still comforting and accessible,” says Chef Jarrod Verbiak. For the Classic Hamburger: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 small onion, finely chopped Salt, to taste 1¼ pounds ground beef, preferably well-marbled shoulder, not too finely ground 2 ounces Gruyère or Emmenthal, cut into ¼-inch dice (optional) 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, plus additional for serving 1 large egg, lightly beaten ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground, lightly toasted white peppercorns ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground, lightly toasted black peppercorns ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground, lightly toasted pink peppercorns ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground, lightly toasted green peppercorns 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 8 slices sourdough bread, approximately ½-inch-thick 1 clove garlic, halved 4 leaves Boston lettuce 1 medium tomato, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and season with salt. Cook, while stirring, until the onion is tender and translucent, approximately 5–7 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine the onion, ground beef, cheese, parsley, mustard, egg and peppercorns. Season with salt, and mix well. Form the mixture into 4 round patties, each approximately 1-inch thick. (Patties can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 8 hours; remove them from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.) To cook outdoors, preheat a grill to 375°F. Put the burgers on the hot grill and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. To cook indoors, center a rack in an oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large ovenproof skillet set over high heat. When the oil beings to smoke lightly, add the burgers and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes for medium-rare. Meanwhile, lightly brush the bread slices with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Grill or toast the slices in a skillet until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Rub the hot toasted bread with the garlic. To serve, spread some mustard on a piece of toast and top with a burger, a lettuce leaf, a tomato slice, and another slice of toast. Serves 4. Black Label Burger A dry-aged beef patty seared in butter and crowned with caramelized onions, The Black Label Burger, featured on the menu at Minetta Tavern in New York City, keeps down-home goodness at the forefront. While Minetta Tavern did not disclose their top-secret burger recipe—which consists of a dry-aged beef patty that’s seared in clarified butter and topped with caramelized onions—here is a Wine Enthusiast variation of their savory-sweet accoutrement with which to crown a juicy burger at home. Caramelized Onions 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil 2½ pounds Vidalia onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon granulated sugar In a large sauté pan set over a medium flame, heat the butter and oil. Add the onions, and stir to coat with the oil and butter. Season with the salt and sugar, and continue to cook for 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and caramelized. Makes 2 cups. Bison Burger Recipe courtesy Michael Paley, executive chef of Proof on Main, Louisville, KY Using grass-fed bison meat as the base, the team at Proof on Main in Louisville, Kentucky, tops the Bison Burger with local Cheddar, house-cured bacon and Jezebel sauce. Jezebel Sauce 2 cups apricot preserves 2 cups apple jelly 1½ cups prepared horseradish 1 tablespoon kosher salt ½ tablespoon ground black pepper ½ tablespoon ground coriander 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon grated clove In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir until well incorporated. Makes 4 cups.