Though no one wants to admit it, our amazing summer is definitely winding down.
I just saw some golden leaves on a tree (eeeeeek!). While the blissful warm days are still with us, get the most out of barbecue season by hosting a casual get-together centred around the perennial stars of the grill: juicy hamburgers. I’m only including recipes for the burger patties themselves below. Get creative when it comes to choosing what to wrap them in.
Try using flatbreads, naan, focaccia, bagels or pitas rather than the usual burger buns.
If you prefer the more traditional route, be sure to buy something interesting like onion or cheese buns from the bakery counter rather than the pre-packaged variety.
A couple of notes about grilling your burgers: make an indent with your thumb in the centre of your burger patties when you’re forming them to prevent them from puffing up when they’re cooking; and make sure the grill is really hot before placing the patties on it. Don’t press down on the burgers while they’re cooking because you don’t want to squish those yummy juices out.
Cheesy Spinach Burgers
1 lb lean ground beef
Half an envelope of dry onion soup mix (be sure to shake the envelope first to mix together the powder and onion bits)
Half of a 300-gram package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed completely dry
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (go easy on the salt as the soup mix is quite salty)
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix with your hands just until combined. Form mixture into four patties and grill over high heat until no longer pink in the centre. Makes four servings.
Hint: use the leftover soup mix and spinach to make some dip. Just mix them with half a cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream.
Blue Cheese Burgers
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix with your hands just until combined. Shape mixture into four patties and grill over high heat until no longer pink in the centre. Makes four servings.
Steakhouse Burgers
1 slice white sandwich bread, crust removed, torn into quarter-inch pieces
2 Tbsp low-fat milk (1% or 2%)
1½ lbs lean ground beef
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp minced shallots
In a large bowl, mash the bread and milk together with a fork until they form a chunky paste. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and mix well. Add the beef and shallots to the bowl, breaking up the meat with your hands.
Gently mix all ingredients together just until combined. Form mixture into five patties and grill over high heat until no longer pink in the centre. Makes five servings.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
