A Different Kind of Burger

Hello Everyone

When I lived in San Francisco, every Sunday I would get together for „Sunday Dinner‰ with my good friends Marc, Scott and Nick. Nick had a wonderfully inviting kitchen and he was always more than happy to entertain a crowd of people. Together, the three of us created some incredible meals, but out of everything we cooked in that kitchen my absolute favorite was the lamb burger with Gorgonzola cheese and caramelized onions.

Now, I realize that some people don‚t really like the flavor of lamb, but trust me on this one. The beef that is included in this recipe helps to cut down on the gamy flavor of lamb and the Gorgonzola cheese (1) and caramelized onions (2) give this burger an interesting twist and unexpected sweetness.

This is a RecipePhile that I am sure many of you will enjoy. Last week a few friends, Dan, John, Crispin and Nick came over to eat these burgers and loved them. Thanks to Marc, Scott and Nick for being the inspiration and creative genius behind this great tasting burger.

Have a great week,

Michael
"Always remember that food is about more than eating...it is about thinking, buying, preparing, enjoying and most importantly... sharing."

Lamb Burgers with Gorgonzola Cheese and Caramelized Onions

1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. ground sirloin
2 tbsp. chopped oregano (fresh)
2 tbsp. chopped thyme (fresh)
2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 or 4 dashes of Tabasco Sauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and add 3 tsp of salt and 3 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and pat into burgers. The recipe should make about 5 burgers. I usually let the burgers set in the refrigerator for about an hour or so and then grill them until medium rare. About one minute after taking the burgers off of the grill place a big piece of the Gorgonzola cheese on the burger. Take off and place on a tasty roll, top with caramelized onions and serve.

FoodNoteworthies
(1) For this recipe I always use Gorgonzola Dolce, one of the creamiest, most delicious and decadent Gorgonzola cheeses I have ever tasted. It literally melts so easily that you must put the cheese on the burger about a minute before taking it away from the grill or it will melt away into nothing. This cheese is also very delicious when served with crunchy bread or in a salad. If you cannot find this cheese in your local gourmet store, log on to www.murrayscheese.com and order it online.

(2) Caramelized onions are easy to make, but take time and patience, both of which I have very little of. Start by removing the skins from two large yellow onions. Cut the onions in half and then cut the halves into rings about 1/4 inch thick. In a large sauté pan melt 1/2 stick of unsalted butter. Place the onions in the pan and sauté over medium heat until golden brown. You need to stir the onions continually to keep them from burning. This entire process will take about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.