Dishtionary

The first week of Spring brought in beautiful weather and what better way to welcome in the new season than to kick-start the grill and make some burgers!

For the buns, I referred to the Spotted Pig’s Hamburger Buns recipe.  These came out great.  A nice golden crust with a soft, pillowy center.  I let the dough rise overnight, so once I took it out of the fridge and formed the rolls, they were ready to go straight into the oven.  Note that you will need to integrate several more tablespoons of flour than the recipe calls for before kneading the dough.  

For the burgers, I followed the Andouille and Beef Burgers with Spicy Mayo and Caramelized Onions recipe.  I substituted Creminelli (Salame al Barolo) for the Andouille sausage because I already had some in the kitchen - I always think its best to use what you’ve got before buying something new.  To spice up the ground beef and salami I combined it with salt, pepper, hot sauce, and a dash of liquid smoke.  The consistency of the burger was excellent.  The caramelized onions added a nice sweetness, but it isn’t necessary to add sugar to the onions, especially if you use red onions with its natural sweetness.  The mayo added a welcomed spiciness - we like things extra hot so I doubled the amount of pepper sauce.  The recipe suggests adding watercress and okra, but I didn’t want to go overboard on the condiments, nor did it ultimately need it. Go with a cheddar cheese if you’re not a fan of the funky blue.

Folks, if you make this, get ready for something truly special!  These two recipes go great together.  I love going that extra step and making my own bread - its about as fresh as you get, tastes better, and will be sure to impress your friends and family.