Wake Up Your Hamburgers!

Its barbeque season again, but don’t serve the same dull hamburgers and cheeseburgers like all the others. Here are five suggestions from ‘The Art of the Hamburger’ by Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen to make your burgers the talk of the party!

1lb ground beef

3/4cup teriyaki sauce

1 small can pineapple slices

1 large onion, sliced

4 lettuce leaves

4 buns

4 slices Swiss cheese

4 strips bacon, fully cooked

1 tablespoon butter

1) Prepare an outdoor charcoal, gas, or electric grill, or preheat an oven broiler. Drain pineapple juice and add teriyaki sauce into a small bowl, and mix together to combine well.

2) Place pineapple slices and 3 tablespoons of pineapple teriyaki mixture in a Ziploc plastic bag. Shake to coat evenly and set aside.

3) Shape ground beef into 4 patties. Arrange the burgers on an oiled rack, or on a greased foil-lined broiler pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes until well browned, but still pink inside, turning once. Remove pineapple slices from bag and place on grill and cook until slightly browned and warmed through.

4) Butter buns and arrange on grilled slice side down to toast lightly. Top each with a hamburger, pineapple slices, lettuce, onion slices, Swiss cheese, bacon, and serve immediately.

1lb 9oz ground lamb or beef

3 tablespoons bottles pesto sauce

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil for brushing

4 oz goat cheese, cut into 8 rounds

4 burger buns, split and lightly toasted

Mixed salad leaves

Creamy vinaigrette

2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

1) Prepare an outdoor charcoal, gas, or electric grill, or preheat an over broiler. Place the lamb or beef, pesto, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, and mix together to combine well. Shape into 4 patties and brush with olive oil.

2) Arrange the burgers on an oiled rack, or on a greased foil-lined broiler pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes until well browned, but still pink inside, turning once. Top each burger with 2 slices of goat cheese about 1 minute before the end of the cooking time and let soften.

3) Brush the bun bottoms with olive oil, toss the salad leaves with the vinaigrette, and arrange leaves on the buns. Top each with a hamburger, sprinkled with pine nuts, and serve immediately.

1lb 10oz filet or other tenders steak, cubed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

Curly lettuce

4 slices brioche or good bread

4 large peeled, cooked shrimp, to garnish

1 small avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

Juice of 1 small lime

1 small pink grapefruit, sectioned and cut into small pieces

½ papaya, pitted and diced

1 small fresh green chili, deseeded and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Prepare the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

2) Put the cubed beef in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and season with the salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Toss lightly to blend.

3) Using slightly dampened hands, shape the beef into 4 patties. Arrange on a flat plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

4) Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the patties and fry for about 6 minutes, or slightly longer for more well-done burgers, turning once.

5) Meanwhile, lightly toast the brioche or your bread. Brush each slice with the remaining oil and cover with lettuce. Top each with a burger and a spoonful of the salsa. Garnish each with a shrimp and serve immediately.

¼ cup butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

1 cup milk or light cream

12oz ground beef

4oz ground veal

4oz ground pork

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon flour

½ cup dry wine

2 cups sour cream

1 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

4 slices rye bread, toasted

Fresh dill springs, to garnish

Lingonberry sauce or cranberry sauce to serve

1) Heat half the butter in a heavy-based skillet over a medium-high heat until foaming. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the chopped onion for the sauce and add the rest to the skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes until softened, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

2) Stir the breadcrumbs and milk or cream into the bowl, and let stand for 3-4 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Crumble in the ground meats, and then add the beaten egg, half the dill, and season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or fingers, stir the mixture until completely blended. Shape into 4 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3) Heat the remaining butter and the oil in a clean skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

4) Add the remaining onion and the mushrooms to the skillet, and stir well. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine, and beat or stir vigorously until the mixture thickens. Stir in the sour cream and cook 2-3 minutes, but do not boil or the sour cream may curdle. Stir in the remaining chopped dill and the capers. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute more.

5) Arrange the meatball patties on the toast slices and top with sauce. Garnish with dill and service immediately with lingonberry or cranberry sauce.

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely diced

1 small red bell pepper, finely diced

1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon crushed hot peppers

Salt

1lb 10z tender beef, such as topside, cut into small pieces

Lettuce leaves

4 burger buns, split and toasted

1 small head red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

¾ cup sherry or red wine vinegar

¼ cup virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon mustard seeds, lightly crushed

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Prepare the cabbage. Put the cabbage and onions in a large stainless steel or glass bowl and toss well to combine. Put the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over a high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the cabbage and onions. Gently press the cabbage and onions under the liquid, then let cool. Cover and refrigerate for server hours, or overnight.

2) Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, and crushed hot peppers, and season with salt. Cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl and let cool.

3) Put the beef in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the beef to the cooled vegetable mixture and toss to combine well. Shape into 4 patties.

4) Heat the remaining oil in a clean skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the beef patties and cook for 6-8 minutes, of longer for more well-done burgers, turning once. Arrange lettuce leaves on the toasted bun bottoms, top each with a burger and a little of the Marinated Red Cabbage, and serve immediately.

8oz hot or sweet Italian-style sausage, removed from casing

1lb ground beef

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/3 cup pitted and chopped black olives

½ cup bottles or homemade pizza sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

8 slices mozzarella cheese

4 ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

Olive oil

Parmesan shavings, to garnish

Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

1) Crumble the sausage meat into a large mixing bowl, and then crumble in the beef. Add the Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, garlic, olives, and 1-2 tablespoons of the pizza sauce. Season with pepper. Mix by hand until well blended and the mixture holds together. Shape into 4 patties.

2) Prepare an outdoor charcoal, gas, or electric grill, or preheat oven broiler. Arrange the burgers on an oiled rack, or a greased foil-lined broiler pan. Cook the patties 8-10 minutes, brushing with the remaining pizza sauce and turning once. Top each burger with 2 slices of mozzarella 1 minute before the end of cooking time.

3) Brush the ciabatta roll bottoms with a little olive oil. Divide any remaining pizza sauce between them and top each with a burger. Garnish with shavings of Parmesan and the basil, and serve immediately.