It's Summertime and the Livin' is Easy

Is anyone else sick of paying $10-$20 for a "gourmet" hamburger?

Inspired by a ridiculously crazy sale Whole Foods has been running on their beef ground from round (I caught it recently at $3.99/pound), I recently created the best homemade burger I have ever had.  It is also as good or even better than most restaurant burgers I've had.  (The one major exception that is worth mentioning is the Ace Burger at Three Aces - if you live in or are visiting Chicago, try it.  You can thank me later.)



The key to this burger, and any burger for that matter, is high quality meat.  As I mentioned, I used Whole Foods' beef ground from round.  I snagged a few pounds of it on sale a couple of weeks ago.  I then came home and separated it into 2/3 pound blocks, which I put into small sealable baggies and put in the freezer.  That way, I can thaw out what I need for the dinner before I leave for work in the morning.  This past weekend, I did the same thing with tilapia and chicken breasts from Whole Foods, which are often on sale and/or sold at a discount if purchased in bulk.  Can you believe I scored hormone and antibiotic-free chicken breasts for $3.99/pound?  I almost squealed out loud.  It's the little things.
For the burger --

Make as many patties as you need and brush lightly with grapeseed oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Grill the patties to your liking (and add the cheese - see below - during the last minute or so).

A little sidenote here about ingredients--about a year ago, I learned about grapeseed oil in a cooking class at the Chopping Block here in Chicago.  It changed my world.  Grapeseed oil has a higher burning point than, say, olive oil, so it's great for use in grilling meat, chicken, etc.  And it's virtually flavorless, so it doesn't compete with any of the flavors in the meat.  Buy it in bulk at the grocery store -- don't pay an arm & a leg at specialty stores for it, not worth it.  I also discovered Dish D'Lish French Seasoning Salt during the same class, which adds enormous flavor to everything, especially steak and burgers.  And the jar has lasted me almost a year, so it's worth the $10. 

For the bread & toppings, you'll need:

sliced Havarti cheese (melts magnificently)
red onion
lettuce, argula or spinach (i.e. something leafy and green)
horseradish aoili (mix equal parts reduced-fat sour cream* and dijon mustard with a half part prepared horseradish)
pretzel rolls

For the pretzel rolls, brush lightly with grapeseed oil and put those puppies on the grill for a minute or two.   Then, assemble and enjoy!  I served baked sweet potato fries and steamed rapini with the burgers last night.  Gotta have some veggies to pair with the rich burger. 

Sweet potatoes are super cheap and loaded with vitamins.  Plus, they taste amazing!  Simply cut a raw sweet potato or two into fry size.  Coat them lightly with grapeseed or olive oil and kosher salt and pepper, and then lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single and bake at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.  Once they are tender in the middle, broil them for about 2-3 minutes until they get a little brown and crispy. 

Rapini is also a favorite of mine and is an easy and inexpensive side dish.  Rapini is running about $2.99 per bunch at Whole Foods these days, and usually one bunch is enough to feed 4 people as a side dish.  It's basically broccoli and swiss chard rolled into one veggie.  I go super simple with mine. Cut off the ends (about an inch or so), and put in a saute pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt, add few couple tablespoons of water, and cover.  Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then check in on it.  I like mine pretty crunchy, so I tend to undercook a little.  Once the rapini is cooked to your desired consistency, drain the excess water/oil and serve with a fresh lemon wedge.  Yum!

*I generally do not use low-fat anything, except for milk, sour cream and cream cheese.  I just think they taste better and/or I cannot tell the difference between the reduced-fat and the full fat, so I don't feel like I'm being deprived.  I will not, however, use non-fat anything and I will NEVER use non-fat milk in my coffee.  Big no no to my taste buds!