The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (7 page)

SERVES 4

1
pound 80% lean ground beef

½
cup Deep South Barbecue Sauce, divided
(page 322)

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

About 4 ounces sliced sharp white Cheddar cheese

4
good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted

½
cup finely chopped red onion

Combine ground beef and ¼ cup of the barbecue sauce in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork to combine meat and sauce. Shape into 4 patties about ½ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to firm, 30 to 45 minutes.

When ready to cook burgers, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Season burgers with salt and pepper. Grill until burgers are cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Internal temperature should be 160 degrees F.) Top each burger with some sliced cheese and cook 1 minute more, or until cheese melts.

To serve, place burgers on bottoms of toasted buns and garnish each with some chopped onions and additional sauce. Cover with tops of buns.

Seymour, Wisconsin, has a Hamburger Hall of Fame. In 2001 the town made the
Guinness Book of World Records
by producing the world’s largest hamburger, which
weighed 8,266 pounds and fed close to 8,500 people.

LAMB BURGERS WITH ROASTED RED

PEPPER RELISH

Seasoned ground lamb replaces beef in these savory burgers. Quick Roasted Red Pepper Relish is
the only garnish needed. Serve these distinctive burgers with Extra-Special Tabbouleh with
Avocado and Feta
(page 204)
.

SERVES 6

1½
pounds ground lamb (see note)

2/3
cup minced yellow onion

2
tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2
teaspoons ground cumin

1
teaspoon salt

½
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼
teaspoon paprika, preferably Hungarian paprika

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

6
good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted

½
recipe Quick Roasted Red Pepper Relish
(page 310)

Combine lamb, onion, parsley, cumin, salt, pepper, and paprika in a bowl and stir well to mix.

Shape into 4 patties about ½ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to firm, 1 hour or longer.

When ready to cook burgers, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Grill burgers until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

(Internal temperature should be 160 degrees F.)

Place burgers on bottoms of toasted buns. Top burgers with some Quick Roasted Red Pepper Relish. Cover with tops of buns and serve immediately.

NOTE:
If you have trouble finding ground lamb, ask your butcher to grind lamb shoulder for this recipe.

LEMON DILL CHICKEN BURGERS

Lemon and dill add a clean, refreshing note to these ground chicken burgers. Although lower in fat
than those made with ground beef, these burgers are certainly not lacking in flavor. Havarti
cheese added in the final minutes of grilling melts to make a delectable topping and pairs well
with a garnish of juicy tomato slices and crunchy romaine lettuce.

SERVES 4

1
pound ground chicken or turkey (preferably both white and dark meat, which will keep the burgers moist during grilling)

½
cup finely chopped yellow onion

2
tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1½
tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1½
teaspoons grated lemon zest

¾
teaspoon salt

¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

4
ounces thinly sliced plain Havarti cheese

4
good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted

1
large ripe medium tomato, cut into 4 slices

Red leaf or romaine lettuce for garnish

Combine ground chicken, onion, dill, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, and mix well with a spoon. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about ½ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to firm, at least 1 hour.

When ready to cook, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Grill burgers until completely cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife, about 5 minutes per side. (Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.) Top each burger with a slice of cheese and cook 1 minute more, or until cheese melts.

Arrange burgers on bottoms of toasted buns, and top with sliced tomatoes and lettuce. Cover with tops of buns and serve immediately.

TURKEY BURGERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD,

WHITE CHEDDAR, AND CRISP APPLE SLICES

These moist, juicy burgers, flavored with a hint of orange, grated apple, and honey mustard, could
easily rival those made with beef for great taste. Try them with Grilled Asparagus Spears (page

134) and Creamy Caraway Coleslaw (page 182).

SERVES 4

1
pound ground turkey (preferably both white and dark meat, which will keep the burgers moist during grilling)

2
tablespoons honey Dijon mustard, plus extra for spreading on the buns
½
tablespoon finely minced yellow onion

½
teaspoon grated orange zest

½
teaspoon salt

½
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1
large Fuji apple, unpeeled

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

2
ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

4
good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted

1
small bunch watercress, cleaned and stemmed

Combine turkey, 2 tablespoons mustard, onion, orange zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Using a coarse grater, grate enough apple to yield 1½ tablespoons. Add grated apple to turkey mixture and mix well to blend. Cover remaining apple with plastic wrap and refrigerate to use later. Shape turkey mixture into 4 patties about ½ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to firm, at least 1

hour.

When ready to cook, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). While grill is heating, slice remaining apple into very thin 1/8-inch-thick wedges. Grill turkey burgers until completely cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. (Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.) When almost done, top each burger with 3 to 4 apple slices and some grated cheese. Cook 1 minute more, until cheese starts to melt, then remove from heat.

To assemble, spread honey Dijon mustard generously on both sides of buns. Arrange burgers on bottoms of toasted buns, add a few sprigs of watercress, and cover with tops of buns. Serve hot.

TURKEY BURGERS WITH BALSAMIC ONION

MARMALADE

These turkey burgers, seasoned with a hint of curry, are grilled, then topped with slices of creamy
Havarti cheese and generous dollops of a homemade onion marmalade. Crisp red leaf lettuce
leaves add texture to the burgers, which are served on whole-wheat buns. The onion marmalade,
which is simple to prepare and will hold up well for several days in the refrigerator, is what makes
these sandwiches so special.

SERVES 4

1
pound ground turkey (preferably both white and dark meat, which will keep the burgers moist during grilling)

1
teaspoon curry powder

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

3
to
4
ounces thinly sliced plain Havarti cheese (see note)

4
good-quality whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Balsamic Onion Marmalade
(page 319)

4
crisp red leaf lettuce leaves

Combine turkey, curry, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Shape into 4 patties about ½ inch thick.

Oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Grill burgers until they are completely cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

(Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.) When almost done, top burgers with several thin slices of cheese and cook 1 minute more, or until cheese melts.

Place burgers on bottoms of toasted buns. Divide onion marmalade evenly among burgers, then top each with a lettuce leaf. Cover with tops of buns.

NOTE:
Use plain Havarti cheese (not one with caraway seeds or herbs) or another mild cheese such as Monterey Jack.

GOAT CHEESE–STUFFED TURKEY BURGERS

WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER RELISH

Creamy goat cheese enclosed in the centers of these turkey patties keeps these burgers extra
moist. Quick Roasted Red Pepper Relish makes a colorful garnish. Corn and Tomato Pudding with
Basil
(page 141)
and a mixed green salad tossed in a vinaigrette dressing would make good
accompaniments.

SERVES 6

1½
pounds ground turkey (preferably both white and dark meat, which will keep the burgers moist during grilling)

6
tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

3
tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2
teaspoons grated lemon zest

2
teaspoons dried thyme

11/8
teaspoons salt

½
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6
tablespoons soft creamy goat cheese (such as Montrachet)

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

6
good-quality whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted

½
recipe Quick Roasted Red Pepper Relish
(page 310)

Combine turkey, bread crumbs, lemon juice and zest, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Mix well. Divide turkey mixture into 6 equal portions. Form each portion into two 4-inch-diameter patties. Place 1 tablespoon of goat cheese atop 1 turkey patty; place second patty atop cheese. Seal patties at edges to enclose cheese. Repeat with remaining 5 portions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate burgers at least 2 hours.

Oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Grill burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. (Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.)

Place turkey burgers on bottoms of toasted buns. Top burgers with some Quick Roasted Red Pepper Relish, then cover with tops of buns.

SALMON BURGERS WITH CUCUMBERS AND

SESAME MAYO

For those who have given up red meat burgers, these salmon burgers are a delectable alternative.

They are made with salmon fillet tails in place of the usual chopped salmon. The tails are
marinated for a couple of hours in a mixture of fresh ginger, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar,
then grilled and placed on buns spread with delicious sesame-scented mayonnaise. Thinly sliced
strips of cucumber and watercress make fine garnishes.

SERVES 4

4
4-to 5-ounce salmon fillet tails, ½ inch thick (see note)

3
tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for oiling grill rack

1½
tablespoons soy sauce

1½
tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1½
teaspoons unflavored rice wine vinegar

1/8
teaspoon salt

1/8
teaspoon cayenne pepper

1
seedless cucumber (about 12 ounces), peeled

½
recipe Sesame Orange Mayo
(page 329)

4
good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted

1
small bunch watercress, cleaned and stemmed

Place salmon fillets, flesh-side down, in a shallow nonreactive pan that will hold them comfortably in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons oil, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, salt, and cayenne. Pour the marinade over the fish, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin, ribbon-like strips from the cucumber. You will need about 3 to 4 strips for each sandwich. You may not need all of the cucumber; save any extra for another use.

Cover cucumber strips with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature.

Oil a grill rack generously, and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Grill salmon fillets, flesh-side down, 3 minutes, then turn over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until flesh is opaque and flakes easily when pierced with a knife.

Remove salmon and place on a platter. Slide a knife between the flesh and skin to loosen the skin, then remove and discard skin from each fillet. Cover the fillets loosely with foil while you prepare the buns. Spread both sides of each bun generously with Sesame Orange Mayo. Place salmon fillets on bottoms of toasted buns, top with 3 to 4 folded cucumber strips, and finally with several watercress sprigs. Cover with tops of buns and serve immediately.

NOTE:
Choose salmon tails that fit well on hamburger buns.

TUNA BURGERS WITH PICKLED GINGER AND

WASABI MAYO

Grilled tuna burgers are delicious when topped with pickled ginger, then placed on buns spread
with peppery Wasabi Mayonnaise. Try them with Watercress, Cucumber, and Belgian Endive
Salad with Mustard Seed Dressing
(page 194).

SERVES 4

1
pound fresh tuna, preferably yellow fin or blue fin

1
tablespoon soy sauce

¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack

4
good-quality hamburger buns, lightly toasted