Hamburger Heaven
Hamburger Heaven
Those of you who have followed this blog for a year or more (and if you've been following it for more than three years - please let me know, SG is approaching it's seventh birthday in October this year) will have noted that I'm a fan of simple cooking. Simple doesn't always mean quick or easy or cheap. A lot of food requires long and slow cooking to become luscious. It requires chopping up onions and carrots and celery to produce taste. It requires wine to produce richness. It might even require anchovies to create depth. But the most complicated kitchen technique you'll find in most of my recipes is a pie crust. The most outlandish ingredient is the afore-mentioned anchovies. The most work is peeling and dicing.
I made hamburgers last night.
I bought some ground beef (pasture-raised) at the farmers' market and shaped it into patties (Tip: press your thumb down into the center of the patty to keep it from shrinking into an elongated softball). Gave the patties a couple of pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Then I grilled them in a cast iron skillet. When I turned them over I topped them with a chuck of good cheddar cheese and covered the skillet to promote melting.
In the meantime I made a sauce of 3 tablespoons mayo, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon A1 Sauce. The sauce went on ordinary hamburger buns followed by fresh tomato, lettuce, and the burgers. By the time I finished eating a burger the juices had turned the bun into a soggy mess and I was using all ten fingers to hold it together.
But damn it was good! When you eat a burger like that you understand why hamburgers achieved their universal popularity prior to the era of Burger King and McDonalds.
Go make a hamburger. A basic hamburger with no additives like minced garlic or curry powder or feta cheese, just the best meat you can buy. Dress it simply with local tomatoes and lettuce - onion if you like. Toss on a thick slice of cheese and let it melt. Add the condiments you prefer to a decent bun (I screwed that one up on this effort). And when you bite into it reflect on how easy, quick, and simple a complete meal (because it is a complete meal) can be.
Those of you who have followed this blog for a year or more (and if you've been following it for more than three years - please let me know, SG is approaching it's seventh birthday in October this year) will have noted that I'm a fan of simple cooking. Simple doesn't always mean quick or easy or cheap. A lot of food requires long and slow cooking to become luscious. It requires chopping up onions and carrots and celery to produce taste. It requires wine to produce richness. It might even require anchovies to create depth. But the most complicated kitchen technique you'll find in most of my recipes is a pie crust. The most outlandish ingredient is the afore-mentioned anchovies. The most work is peeling and dicing.
When you eat a burger like that you understand why hamburgers achieved their universal popularity prior to the era of Burger King and McDonalds.
Oh sure. There are exceptions to this focus. I adore soufflés and they can be fussy. Fondue requires some time spent over the stove. And cassoulet - peasant dish that it is - isn't made in most American kitchens from the pantry ingredients and leftovers found in the French kitchens where it originated. But often seriously good food is quick, easy, and cheap.I made hamburgers last night.
I bought some ground beef (pasture-raised) at the farmers' market and shaped it into patties (Tip: press your thumb down into the center of the patty to keep it from shrinking into an elongated softball). Gave the patties a couple of pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Then I grilled them in a cast iron skillet. When I turned them over I topped them with a chuck of good cheddar cheese and covered the skillet to promote melting.
In the meantime I made a sauce of 3 tablespoons mayo, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon A1 Sauce. The sauce went on ordinary hamburger buns followed by fresh tomato, lettuce, and the burgers. By the time I finished eating a burger the juices had turned the bun into a soggy mess and I was using all ten fingers to hold it together.
But damn it was good! When you eat a burger like that you understand why hamburgers achieved their universal popularity prior to the era of Burger King and McDonalds.
Go make a hamburger. A basic hamburger with no additives like minced garlic or curry powder or feta cheese, just the best meat you can buy. Dress it simply with local tomatoes and lettuce - onion if you like. Toss on a thick slice of cheese and let it melt. Add the condiments you prefer to a decent bun (I screwed that one up on this effort). And when you bite into it reflect on how easy, quick, and simple a complete meal (because it is a complete meal) can be.
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Labels: burgers, essay, food column
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