GOURMET BURGERS
- 10 lbs Ground Beef 80/20 mix
- 1/2 lb Ground Veal 90/10 mix*
- 1/2 lb Ground Lamb 90/10 mix*
- 1/2 lb Ground Buffalo 82/10 mix*
- 1/2 lb Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/2 lb Mancheco Cheese
- Fresh Basil - 12 leaves
- 4 ozs Olive Oil
- Focaccia Bread (For 4 Burgers) - 1 Loaf
- 1 Red Onion Large
4 - 48 Hours in Advance of Dinner
In a large mixing bowl, place all 4 meats with 2 Tbs of spice rub and 2 TBS of olive oil. Mix thoroughly,
but gently with your hands. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Hint: Do not over-mix or handle the meat. It toughens the burgers.
Day of Dinner
Make 8 to 12 Hamburger patties. Size will depend on how many. Brush all the burgers with the olive oil
and sprinkle with the spice rub.
On 1 burger place 2 leaves of basil and 1 slice of mozzarella cheese in center of pattie. Place the second pattie on top of the first and gently merge together. No cheese or basil should be visible. Repeat for all burgers.
Place completed burgers back in the refrigerator.
Slice red onion and saute in olive oil until cooked to your desired degree of doneness . Set aside.
Slice Mancheco cheese and set aside.
Slice Focaccia bread horizontally and brush inside with olive oil.
Place burgers on oiled grill or frying pan and cook to your desired degree of doneness. We like rare. Once cooked remove burgers and cover with foil to rest.
Place Focaccia bread on grill (medium heat) or under broiler and crust up each side. A few minutes of each side. Do not leave the bread. It will burn before you know it.
Remove bread and cut each half into 4 sections for 4 portions.
Lay slice of Mancheco on hot bread, then onion and finally the burger. I also like to add lettuce, sliced tomato and/or fried peppers (see Eagle Eye Italian Fried Peppers Recipe).
Please, no mayo, ketchup, mustard, etc. until you taste it and even then.
*Whole Foods has these meats or try any good butcher.
**Trader Joe’s has a good Focaccia.