Mini Cuban Burgers (Fritas)

Courtesy of Ingrid Hoffman

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 large yellow onion, grated on the large-hole side of a box grater
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• 3 tablespoons ketchup, plus extra for serving
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 mini hamburger rolls or Cuban rolls

Directions

Place the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Cover with milk and soak for 2 minutes. Add the onion, the beaten egg, ground beef, lime juice, ketchup, garlic powder, salt, and paprika and work the ingredients together with your hands or a wooden spoon just until combined. Form the mixture into 12 small 1-inch thick patties and refrigerate them for at least 45 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 of the burgers and brown them on each side, flipping with spatula, 5 to 7 minutes. Set the fritas on the rolls and cook the remaining burgers. Serve with generous amounts of ketchup.

Swiss Cheeseburger Sliders

These swiss sliders are very tasty

Compliments of Aida

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for brushing and coating grill
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 thin slices Swiss cheese, cut into small squares to fit the sliders
• 8 slider buns, halved and toasted

Toppings Bar, optional:

• Crisp bacon
• Chive sour cream
• Honey mustard
• Guacamole
• Mayonnaise and ketchup mixture (1/2 mayonnaise, 1/2 ketchup)
• Dill pickles
• Grilled pineapple slices
• Mango salsa
• BBQ sauce
• Black bean salsa
• Pico de gallo salsa
• Hummus

Directions

Heat the grill or grill pan to medium heat (350 degrees F) and rub the grate with a towel dipped in oil.


In a large bowl, mix together the meat, salt, and pepper until well combined. Shape into 8 (1/4-inch thick) patties and brush the patties with vegetable oil.

Cook the patties until browned on first side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip, top with cheese, close grill top and cook until cheese is melted and patty is cooked through, about 1 to 2 more minutes. If you are using a grill pan, tent the burgers with foil to melt the cheese.


Serve the patties on the slider buns with optional toppings.

A Burger for Rachael

Compliments of Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 4 large Idaho potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 to 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, divided
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 pound ground sirloin
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons capers
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3/4 cup pitted black or green olives
• 4 slices sharp provolone or thinly sliced smoked mozzarella
• 4 crusty rolls, such as sesame Keiser rolls, split
• 2 vine ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 10 to 12 basil leaves, torn or shredded
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

Heat oven to 500 degrees F.

Cut 10 wedges from each potato and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of oil over the potatoes to coat them lightly then season with rosemary, salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Throw a couple of cloves of cracked garlic on the sheet with potatoes. Roast 25 minutes, turning once.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place ground meats in a bowl and add a 2 to 3 cloves of grated garlic, grill seasoning fennel seed, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce. Mix the burgers and form 4 patties. Make patties thinner in the center - burgers bulge as they cook. Cook burgers 5 to 6 minutes on each side.

While burgers cook, sliced cheese and tomatoes, onions and basil and reserve.

In a food processor, combine capers, parsley, anchovy paste, lemon zest and olives. Turn processor on and drizzle in 3 to 4 tablespoons oil until a thick paste forms.

Melt cheese on burgers.

Toast buns.

Place burgers on buns and top with tomato, basil, red onions and slather the bun tops with some olive tapenade and serve with oven fries.

Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Chipotle Mayonnaise:

nocoupons

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 lime, juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliders:

nocoupons

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cheese slices, your choice
• Mini burger buns

Burger Bar (if desired):

nocoupons

• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Pickles
• Red onion slices

Chipotle Mayonnaise:

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Sliders:

Preheat grill over medium-high heat.
Form the meat into 2 to 3-ounce portions, packed tightly. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the sliders on the grill. Wait until they are nice and crusty on the first side, about 4 to 5 minutes and then flip and cook another 4 minutes. When the sliders are about done, top with desired cheese and close the grill, allowing the cheese to melt.
Place the slider on mini burger buns and top with chipotle mayonnaise and any other desired toppings.

Black Pepper-Crusted Burgers with Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup apple cider plus 1 tablespoon apple cider
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1/2 (1-ounce) package onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup cracked black pepper
• Kaiser rolls, toasted
• Lettuce tomato slices, and red onion slices
• Relish skewers

Directions

For mustard sauce, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 1/4 cup of apple cider to a boil. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until it's reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cider has cooled, transfer to a small bowl; add mustard and tarragon. Stir to combine; set aside

Set up grill for direct cooking over high heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.


For burgers, in a large bowl, stir to combine ground sirloin, the remaining 1 tablespoon cider, and the onion soup mix. Form into 4 mini-patties; set aside. Spread cracked pepper on a plate. Carefully press both sides of burgers into cracked pepper.


Place burgers on hot, oiled grill and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium (160 degrees F). To serve, place hot burgers on toasted Kaiser rolls. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard sauce.

The Burger Bar

Ingredients

• 2 pounds brisket, ground
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thin slices Swiss cheese
• 4 hamburger buns, split

Directions

Preheat a large cast-iron skillet to medium hot. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot skillet to make a nonstick surface.
Season the ground meat in a bowl with salt and pepper. Give it about 3 turns in the bowl with your hands or a big spoon and it's done. Shape into 4 patties. When the skillet is hot, put the burgers on the skillet and cook 4 minutes on the first side and 5 for the second side for rare; 7 minutes per side for medium, adding the cheese during the final minute or 2 to melt. Remove the burgers to a plate. Rub the skillet with the folded paper towel again to clean it. Then toast the buns cut side down for about 1 minute, just to mark them. Serve the hamburgers in the buns with the accompaniments below.

Sauteed Mushrooms:

Saute 1 pound thickly sliced mushrooms in 1/4 cup olive oil with 2 sliced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves over super-high heat until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in a couple of drops fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Caramelized Onions:

Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook slowly until well caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.

Tomatoes with Sea Salt and Chives:

Thickly slice 2 pounds red and yellow beefsteak tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and 1/2 bunch chopped fresh chives

Bacon with Rosemary:

Lay out 1/2 pound sliced bacon on a baking sheet, strip leaves from 1 sprig rosemary and throw them on top with lots of cracked black pepper and roast at 400 degrees F until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes.

• Herbed Horseradish Mayonnaise

Stir together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 1/4 cup freshly minced herbs such as parsley, basil, chives or scallion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a little squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Tuscan Espresso Burger with Grilled Radicchio Slaw

Ingredients

Dry Rub:

• 3 tablespoons instant espresso
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Beef Patties:

• 3 pounds (85 percent) fresh ground chuck
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Radicchio Slaw:

• 1 head radicchio
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
• 1 red onion
• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 12 ounces Italian fontina cheese, sliced
• 8 fresh ciabatta rolls (recommended: Whole Foods Market rolls)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt

Directions

Preheat a grill pan to medium-high. Preheat the oven broiler.

In a small bowl, combine the espresso, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and paprika. Mix well. Pull the beef apart on a clean work surface and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Mix well but lightly and form into patties the same size as the rolls. Sprinkle both sides of the patties with 1 teaspoon of the rub each, and pat down to adhere. Refrigerate until ready to grill.

Cut the radicchio into quarters, leaving the core intact. Put the quarters into a medium bowl and pour 2 tablespoons olive oil evenly over the radicchio. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss lightly to coat.

When the grill is barely starting to smoke, grill the radicchio, cut side down, until charred, about 2 minutes. Turn to the opposite cut side and grill for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl to cool.

Cut the apple into matchstick-size pieces and add to a large bowl. Thinly slice the red onion to make 1/3 cup, and add to the bowl. Remove the cores from the radicchio and thinly slice then add to the bowl with the apple along with the vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine well and set aside.

Grill the burgers or until you see a nice brown edge forming. About 6 minutes. Turn and top with cheese. Tent the burgers with foil or a hotel pan and pour 2 tablespoons of cold water on grill to create steam to melt the cheese. Turn the grill off.

Slice the rolls in half and brush with olive oil and season with salt. Broil until brown and crisp. Uncover the burgers and turn the grill back on to high. When burgers start a good sizzle, transfer to the rolls and top with slaw before serving. 

Enjoy!

Steakhouse Sliders and Mini Steak Fries

Ingredients

• 16 baby Yukon gold potatoes
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grill seasoning, plus 3 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
• 8 slices thick cut bacon
• 3 pounds ground sirloin
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
• 24 mini burger rolls, such as small dinner rolls, split
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 6 plum tomatoes, trim top and bottom, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 small red onion, quartered lengthwise, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 cup steak sauce (recommended: A1)
• 1/2 cup grainy mustard

Directions

Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Get the potatoes in the oven first, then bacon and meat 10 minutes later. Cut potatoes into thin wedges (6 per potato). Coat the potatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with 2 tablespoons of grill seasoning and rosemary. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown, then reduce heat to 400 degrees F when you add bacon and meat to oven.


Arrange the bacon on slotted broiler pan and bake until crisp, about 12 minutes then cut each strip into thirds, (24 pieces). Set aside.


Coat a 9 by 12-inch rimmed baking sheet (they sell disposable pans this size if you do not have one) with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the meat with Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons grill seasoning and parsley. Spread meat into pan in 1/2-inch layer all the way to corners of pan. Coat the top of meat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake at 400 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes until firm but a little pink at center. Rest meat 5 minutes then cut into 24 square mini burgers.


Place burgers on mini roll bottoms and top with arugula, tomato, bacon, red onion. Mix steak sauce with mustard and dot bun tops, set in place. Serve potatoes alongside.