Goat Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers With Two Olive Spread Recipes

FRESH GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl with a fork, mash goat cheese with enough cream to make a spreadable consistency. Add basil, green onion, garlic, and salt, to taste. Mix well. Garnish with fresh nasturtium flowers, if available, and serve with warm tortillas alongside. To eat, spread a few spoonfuls of goat cheese mixture inside a tortilla and roll up.

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED LAMB BURGERS WITH CARAMELIZED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• Make the onions:
• In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, toss to combine, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring several times to ensure that the onion does not stick to the pan. Add the beer, stir, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. If the onion is deeply caramelized and the liquid has mostly evaporated, it's perfection. If not, cook for a few minutes more. Set aside.
• Make the burgers:
• In a large bowl, combine the lamb, garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, and mint. Mix well. Set aside 4 tablespoons of the lamb mixture and divide the remaining lamb into four equal portions. Shape them into patties slightly larger than the width of the burger bun. Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each patty, going halfway through the lamb.
• Divide the goat cheese into four portions and place them in the thumb divots. Flatten each tablespoon of reserved burger mixture into a disc and place on top of the goat cheese. Pinch the edges to encase the cheese in the lamb. Season both sides of each patty with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Fry the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium doneness.
• Place the burgers on the buns and top each with 1 tablespoon mayo, some caramelized onions, bacon, and 1/4 cup arugula.

CHEESE-STUFFED BURGERS FOR TWO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 4 thin patties. Sprinkle cheese over 2 patties; top with remaining patties and press edges firmly to seal. , Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat 5-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve on buns, with lettuce and tomato if desired.

GOAT CHEESE AND OLIVE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Pit and thinly slice olives. In a small bowl stir together olives, goat cheese, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste until combined well. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
• To form a pocket in chicken for filling:
• Put a chicken breast half on a cutting board and, beginning in middle of 1 side of breast half, horizontally insert a sharp thin knife three fourths of the way through center, moving knife in a fanning motion to create a pocket. Form pocket in remaining breast half in same manner. Divide filling between pockets and spread evenly with a finger.
• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a small heavy ovenproof skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken, skin sides down, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken over and brown about 2 minutes more. Transfer skillet to middle of oven and bake chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED LAMB BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions in the oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Gently knead together the softened onions, lamb, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture into 6 parts and roll into balls, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Mix together the goat cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, basil, and oregano until well combined; cover and chill for 5 minutes.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
• Working with one portion of meat at a time, make an indentation in the center of the ball with your thumb. Fill the indentation with a heaping tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture. Gently pull and form the meat patty around the cheese filling, making a burger-shaped patty. Repeat with each ball of the lamb mixture.
• Grill the patties on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center and well done, about 8 minutes per side.

GRILLED HAMBURGERS WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium. In a large bowl, place ground chuck and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix ingredients together until combined. Form into 6 patties; set aside.
• Brush the tomato and onion slices with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill the tomato and onion slices until slightly charred on both sides (onion should be tender), 4 to 6 minutes for tomatoes and 6 to 8 minutes for onions. Remove from the grill, and keep warm.
• Grill hamburger patties, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. When they have reached desired doneness, place cheese on top of each patty. Grill until cheese is slightly melted.
• To serve, stack slices of onion and tomato on a serving platter with romaine and endive. Place hamburgers on top.

MOM'S FAVORITE OLIVE BURGERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine beef, soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic powder and onion powder, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-in.-thick patties, indenting the center slightly., Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet; cook burgers over medium heat until a thermometer reads 160°, 4-6 minutes on each side., Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine olives, Miracle Whip and mustard. Serve burgers on buns with olive mixture. If desired, top with feta cheese and lettuce.

HAMBURGERS (WITH GOAT CHEESE)

Steps:

• Preheat broiler to high.
• Divide beef into 4 portions. Shape each into hamburger-shaped rounds, each about an inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place wire rack on baking dish and arrange patties over it. Put meat under broiler, inch or two from source of heat, and leave broiler door slightly ajar. Cook about 3 minutes on one side if you wish meat rare. If you prefer it more well done cook up to 6 minutes on one side, then turn and continue cooking 2 to 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, crumble cheese and top each portion of meat with equal portions of cheese, pressing to keep mounds of cheese intact. Return cheese-topped patties to broiler and let broil about 2 minutes until the cheese is browned on top and partly melted.
• Sprinkle top of each patty with chopped tarragon.

CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH OLIVES AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese and milk together until smooth.
• Mix in the garlic, parsley, oregano, and chile flakes.
• Stir in the olives and season with salt and pepper.
• On the thickest side of each breast, cut a deep, 3-inch-long pocket.
• Using your fingers, stuff the goat cheese mixture into each pocket.
• Close by pressing the flesh together, securing with a toothpick if necessary.
• In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• Have ready a lid that's too small for the pan but will cover all the breasts.
• Cook the chicken on one side until golden brown, 5 to 6 minute Turn the breasts over, season with salt and pepper, and set the small lid on top of them.
• Continue to sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about another 10 minute Transfer the chicken to a warm serving plate.
• Pour the wine into the pan and cook, scraping up the flavorful brown bits stuck to the pan, until it's reduced to a glossy syrup.
• Drizzle the reduction over the chicken and serve.
• If you choose to serve with the ROASTED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE: In a blender or food processor, combine the poblanos, onion and lime juice and blend until smooth.
• While the blender is running, add the oil slowly until emulsified.
• Add the spinach and cilantro and blend until smooth.
• Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve at room temperature.