***I am loving Rachael Ray's new cookbook, Look + Cook! Of course, the fact that she autographed my copy just adds to my excitement. ;-)
I've officially broken in this book by trying my first recipe - Marsala Burgers. Your family will love this dish, because it's a deliciously different take on the traditional American cheeseburger. These burgers were pretty awesome...The ground beef (I used only beef instead of Rachael's combination of sirloin and veal) is mixed with garlic, fresh parsley, nutmeg, and salt/pepper. This makes the meat very, very flavorful. The portabella mushrooms are sauted until golden brown and then doused with a healthy splash of sweet marsala wine....YUM!
I found some freshly baked onion rolls at the grocery store, which made the perfect accompaniment to these burgers. Mozzarella cheese makes a great substitution here, instead of the more expensive Parmigiano-Reggiano. That's what I had on-hand, and I simply melted a few slices on the burgers before adding the mushrooms.
Give this one a try!
Bon Appetit!***
Marsala Burgers
Source: Rachael Ray's Look + Cook cookbook
Source: Rachael Ray's Look + Cook cookbook
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 pound ground veal
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- 4 portabello mushroom caps, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup Marsala wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 crusty Kaiser or ciabatta rolls, split
- A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for shaving
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats with the garlic, spices, salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Score the meat into four equal portions, then form four patties thicker at the edges and thinner at the center for even cooking.
Pre-heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the patties to the hot skillet and cook for about 8 minutes total for medium-rare, 10 minutes for medium, or 12 minutes for well done, turning once.Meanwhile, heat another large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining EVOO. Let the EVOO get hot, then add the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Season with the salt, pepper and thyme. (Hold off seasoning unti lthe mushrooms are brown because the salt will draw out liquids that would otherwise slow down the browning process.) Douse the pan with the Marsala and reduce for 30 seconds, then add the butter, melt, and turn off the heat.
If the rolls are not super-crusty, warm them in the oven on low heat.
To assemble, place a patty on the roll bottom and top each burger with mounds of Marsala mushrooms. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a few curls of Parmigiano on top of the mushrooms and set the roll top in place. Serve with fries alongside.
