Burger Heaven!

The other night we were trying to figure out what we wanted for dinner. More often than not, at least one member of the family is determinative enough in their food craving that they pipe up immediately. But it was the end of the week and fatigue was definitely weighing heavy in the room. Left up to me, I always go with breakfast for dinner…my kids favorite. We used to have it all the time when Dad was traveling. However now that the kids are adults, their culinary tastes are a bit more sophisticated. So I came up with this recipe for Grilled Lamb Burgers on a bed of Spicy Aioli dressed Frisee with a Fried Egg and Sweet Potato Fries.  Nothing was left on the plate!

It’s easy and very satisfying. You can use any type of ground meat, turkey or chicken you like. However if you go with a white meat turkey or chicken I would add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil because you need a little bit of fat for moisture in the burger.

Lamb Burger Frisee

For 4 servings

Burgers:

2 lbs ground lamb

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 clove garlic minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Mix the ingredients into patties and let them sit while you prep the Aioli.

Spicy Aioli:

In a food processor add the following-

1 anchovy fillet

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon red pepper flake chili sauce

1 teaspoon Sirachi (optional for more heat)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix these ingredients together and then slowly pour in ½ c olive oil

½ cup olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes while you finish the prep.

Grill the burgers to medium rare, cover and let them sit.

Toss the Frisee with a small amount of the Aioli. A little goes a long way, nothing worse than drenched greens.

Fry your eggs. You can poach them if you prefer.

Prepare your plates with a handful of Frisee, then the Burger, the Egg and a drizzle of the Aioli.

We served them with store bought Sweet Potato fries, from bag to oven and they were terrific!

So before you discount this recipe because it sounds complicated, I guarantee you it is not. Everytime I make this I swear I’m going to double the amount I prepare so I can have some in the fridge for a salad or snack the next day. The fish is succulent, sweet and spicey with a wonderful smoke to it. Here I served it with roasted organic carrots and onions. spicey green beans and a saffron rice with curried lentils. Hmm, yum!

Here’s the recipe:

Spice Rub for the Salmon:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (1 lemons)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

2 pounds King salmon fillets, skin on, cut in serving pieces
3 cups wood chips such as oak, hickory, or mesquite
2 large, flat disposable foil pans

Fresh Dill Sauce:
¼  cup mayonnaise
¼  cup sour cream
¼  cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon room temp cream cheese

2 scallions chopped
¼  cup minced fresh dill
¼  cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ c chopped cucumber

Directions:

The night before serving, combine the ingredients for the spice rub. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a large flat ceramic or glass dish and spread the mixture on the top of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

At least 1 1/2 hours before you plan to cook the salmon, soak the wood chips in water.

Grill:

If you are using a gas grill put your drained wood chips either in a small smoker box or an aluminum foil tin and place them at one end of the grill. On the other end of the barbecue place another foil pan with 1 cup of water under the grates you will use for the salmon. This will collect any drippings avoiding flare ups. You don’t want flare ups with wood chips close by even though they are soaked with water. Just a word of caution.

Scrape the spice rub mixture off the salmon and re-season with coarse ground pepper and salt. Brush the skin side of the salmon lightly with olive oil and place the skin-side down on the opposite side of the grill away from the wood chips but directly over the foil pan. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the top and bottom vents are open. Smoke the salmon for 10 – 15 minutes or just until the fish is firm but still slightly springy to the touch.

 
Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

The fish is so tasty on it’s own but if you are someone that needs a sauce, this one is light and compliments the smoke really well.

Dill Sauce:

Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.