Open-faced burgers with a twist! Using medium ground beef I handmade some very thin hamburgers. I then put a large handful of chopped smoked meat on the beef and topped with another thin hamburger, pinching to seal the two patties together. Lastly I sprinkled on some Montreal Steak spice, just to seal the deal.
The burgers were served up on a slice of sour dough bread with the mushroom gravy recipe below. The dish worked out perfectly – homemade hamburgers are a crowd pleaser any day – with a smoked meat filling and mushroom gravy… delectable!
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Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 pound quartered cremini mushrooms
2 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock
Preparation:
Heat a medium sized pot over Medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and thyme, and, cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in stock a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Chimichurri is a wonderfully aromatic Argentinian sauce that is often used as a marinade or served alongside grilled beef. I prefer the latter as I find it perfectly accompanies the steak without masking the steak itself.
The recipe below is just one variation of chimichurri, I love that this one uses a combination of aromatic herbs to tempt the palate.
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Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
Chimichurri:
1 1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley
8 cloves garlic
2 shallots, halved
2 tablespoons each fresh basil, thyme, and oregano
2 pounds flank steak
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Combine the chimichurri ingredients in a blender and pulse until minced. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat.
Preheat the grill over High heat. Sprinkle the steak with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Place steak on the grill and cover. Grill to medium rare doneness, about 4-6 minutes per side.
Remove from the steak from the grill and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Slice the steak thinly against the grain, and serve alongside chimichurri sauce.
This dish below is such a simple one to throw together, but as we roll into summer, it becomes a welcome change from standard dogs on the grill.
The sweet & tangy onions paired with the spiciness of the sausage is a marriage made in heaven. If you aren’t a big cilantro fan, try replacing with some Italian flat leaf parsley.
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Grilled Merguez Sandwiches with Caramelized Red Onions
Adapted from Food & Wine
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
4 x 6 ounce merguez or fresh chorizo sausages, pierced all over with a fork
4 x 6 inch pieces of baguette, split and toasted
12 large cilantro sprigs
4 lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt and cook over Medium-High heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to Medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the honey and balsamic vinegar and cook over Low heat, stirring occasionally, until richly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat grill over Medium heat. Grill the sausages, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Set a sausage in each piece of baguette. Top with the caramelized onions and a few cilantro sprigs and close the sandwiches. Transfer to plates and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges.
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