Big Bistro Burgers With Caramelized Shallots Recipes

SPANISH BURGER WITH PICKLED SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Make the spiced butter: Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the harissa and garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
• Make the pickled saffron shallots: Bring the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and the saffron to a boil in a small saucepan set over medium heat; remove from the heat and let cool 10 minutes. Put the shallots in a small bowl, pour the vinegar mixture over them, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
• Make the aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, harissa, smoked paprika, piquillo peppers, anchovy and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• Make the crispy prosciutto: Heat the canola oil in a small saute pan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add 1 slice of the prosciutto at a time to the pan and cook until just crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Make the burgers: Combine the chuck and fat in a meat grinder and grind coarsely into a large bowl (or put the ground beef in a large bowl). Mix in some salt and pepper. Divide the meat into 4 equal patties.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking. Add the canola oil and burgers and cook until the bottoms are golden brown and a crust has formed, about 4 minutes. Flip over and begin brushing with the spiced butter. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and the meat is cooked to medium, 4 more minutes. Top the burgers with the fontina, add a little water to the pan, cover quickly and cook until the cheese is completely melted, about 1 minute.
• Spread some aioli on the top and bottom buns. Place a burger on each bottom bun; top with some of the pickled shallots, followed by a slice of crispy prosciutto and some arugula. Add the top buns and serve.

BISTRO BURGERS WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Combine the butter, parsley and shallot in a small bowl and mash together to mix well (alternatively, pulse together in a small food processor). Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper; set aside.
• Form the beef into 4 patties, about 3 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, 3 to 5 more minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the herb butter and cook, tossing, until the mushrooms are well coated, about 30 seconds. Remove to a plate and wipe out the skillet.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. In the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a slice of cheese and the mushrooms and cover to melt.
• Whisk the dijonnaise and vinegar in a bowl. Add the greens and toss; season with salt and pepper. Spread the remaining herb butter on the toasted buns; serve the burgers on the buns with the salad and more dijonnaise.

BIG BISTRO BURGERS WITH CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan or grill to high.
• Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat wth 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly brown.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the sherry vinegar and continue to cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and reserve.
• While the shallots are getting brown, in a large bowl, combine the beef, thyme, Worcestershire, grill seasoning, and Dijon mustard.
• Divide the meat into 4 portions. Form large patties about 1 1/4 inches.
• Coat the beef patties with a good drizzle of EVOO. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes per side for medium well to well.
• Drizzle of brush EVOO onto both sides of the bread slices, season with salt and pepper, and add to the grill.
• Cook until well marked on both sides, remove from the grill, and wrap in foil to keep warm.
• In a bowl, combine the beets and greens and drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons of EVOO, and a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat; add the crumbled goat cheese and toss to distribute.
• To serve, divide the grilled bread among 4 serving plates. Top bread with beet and goat cheese salad, letting it overflow onto the plates.
• Transfer the burgers to the top of the salad and then pile each burger with some of the caramelized shallots.

STUFFED BISON BURGERS WITH CARAMELIZED FIGS AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Bring pomegranate juice just to boiling over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Add figs. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain figs; set aside.
• For filling, melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook shallots in hot butter for 3 to 5 minutes or until shallots are tender. Stir in drained figs and honey. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 more minutes or until shallots are golden brown. Stir in thyme. Cool slightly.
• Combine egg, ground bison, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, milk, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Shape mixture into 8 patties. Spoon filling evenly onto half of bison patties to 1/2-inch of edges. Top with remaining bison patties; pinch edges to seal.
• For charcoal grill, arrange preheated coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place bison patties over drip pan on grill rack. Cover and grill for 16 to 22 minutes or until done (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect grilling. Grill as above.) Top with cheese. Cover; cook 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese melts. Serve bison patties open face on French bread slices.

HAMBURGERS WITH GARLIC AND SHALLOT BUTTER

Steps:

• Put meat into a mixing bowl and add salt, pepper and mustard. Blend well, using your fingers. Divide mixture into four portions and shape each into a patty.
• Combine shallots and wine in a small saucepan. Cook over moderately high heat about 3 minutes or until the wine is almost evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool briefly. Add garlic, butter and parsley and blend well.
• Burgers may be broiled or cooked in a hot skillet. If they are to be broiled, preheat the broiler to high. Place burgers on a rack and place them under broiler about two or three inches from the source of heat. Cook about 5 minutes, turning burgers occasionally. If burgers are to be cooked in a skillet, heat the skillet, preferably a cast-iron one, until very hot. Brush it lightly with oil. Add burgers and cook about 2 minutes on one side. Turn and cook about 3 minutes longer, turning them occasionally.
• Smear top of each burger immediately with herb butter and serve.

STUFFED BISON BURGERS WITH CARAMELIZED FIGS AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Bring pomegranate juice just to boiling over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Add figs. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain figs; set aside.
• For filling, melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook shallots in hot butter for 3 to 5 minutes or until shallots are tender. Stir in drained figs and honey. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 more minutes or until shallots are golden brown. Stir in thyme. Cool slightly.
• Combine egg, ground bison, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, milk, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Shape mixture into 8 patties. Spoon filling evenly onto half of bison patties to 1/2-inch of edges. Top with remaining bison patties; pinch edges to seal.
• For charcoal grill, arrange preheated coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place bison patties over drip pan on grill rack. Cover and grill for 16 to 22 minutes or until done (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect grilling. Grill as above.) Top with cheese. Cover; cook 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese melts. Serve bison patties open face on French bread slices.

CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots with a pinch of salt.
• Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, then add the thyme.
• Lower temperature and continue to cook until shallots are light gold and melted, about 15 more minutes.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Serve at room temperature.

BIG BISTRO BURGERS WITH CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS ON GRILLED BREAD WITH BEET AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high.
• Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add 2 tablespoons of the sherry vinegar and continue to cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and reserve.
• While the shallots are getting brown, in a large bowl, combine the beef, thyme, Worcestershire, grill seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Divide the meat into 4 portions. Form large patties about 1 1/4 inches thick. Coat the beef patties with a good drizzle of EVOO. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes per side for medium well to well.
• Drizzle or brush EVOO onto both sides of the bread slices, season with salt and pepper, and add to the grill. Cook until well marked on both sides, remove from the grill, and wrap in foil to keep warm.
• In a bowl, combine the beets and greens and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar, the remaining 3 tablespoons of EVOO, and a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat; add the crumbled goat cheese and toss to distribute.
• To serve, divide the grilled bread among 4 serving plates. Top the bread with the beet and goat cheese salad, letting it overflow onto the plates. Transfer the burgers to top the salad and then pile each burger with some of the caramelized shallots. Attack your big bistro burger with a fork and knife, please. This is a bistro!
• Tidbit
• For the large slices of country-style bread, cut a rectangular loaf lengthwise or a round loaf from the center.