If you crave fast food, you can make it at home without all the additives, preservatives and the low quality meat. These homemade burgers are so much tastier than what you would eat at fast food places. I can say that it has been years since we have eaten burgers at a fast food joint. When we crave burgers, I prefer to make them at home with fresher, healthier and better quality ingredients. This post is presenting a hamburger and a chicken burger recipe. Both are served with seared zuchinni and squash slices, however they are prepared slightly different. In the future, I will also present a Turkish version of hamburgers which are quite tasty!
For the Burgers:
1 lb ground beef (96% lean)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp salt
4 hamburger buns
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard or any other kind of mustard
For the Squash and Zucchini Slices:
1 large zucchini
1 large squash
1 tbsp dried oregano
½ tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
For Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Mixture:
½ of white onion (sliced)
1/3 lb white cap mushrooms (sliced)
¼ cup white wine
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
Preparation of Burgers:
Mix all ingredients and knead for 5 minutes. Make four hamburger patties out of the meat. You may also make 2 patties if you have a big appetite. Heat the oven broiler. Cook the patties 10-15 minutes on each side until they are cooked thoroughly. Uncooked or slightly uncooked ground meat can store unfriendly bacteria, so it is always suggested to cook ground meat well.
Preparation of Zucchini and Squash:
Remove the stems of the zucchinis and squash. Slice the zucchinis and squash diagonally. Sprinkle the salt, oregano and the pepper. Heat the olive oil on a skillet. Place the zucchini and squash slices in the pan when the olive oil heats up. Cook each side until brown. Place in a separate plate.
Preparation of Caramelized Onions:
Heat the olive oil. Add the sliced onions and sauté until it start to turn brownish color. Add the mushrooms and continue to stir. Add the salt and black pepper. Once all the juices start to evaporate, add the wine and stir. If more wine is necessary to make them all caramelized, you may add more. Cook until the onion and mushroom mixture take a caramelized color and texture. Set aside.
Putting the Burger Together:
Heat the hamburger buns under the broiler for a minute or two. Spread as much as mayo and Dijon mustard as you like on the bun. Place the hamburger on the bottom of the bun and add the caramelized mushroom and onion mixture on top. Add the sliced squash and zucchini slices. Enjoy with home cooked fries.
Chicken Burgers
Preparation of Chicken Breasts:
4 skinless & boneless chicken breasts
4 tomato slices
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
4 hamburger buns
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard or any other kind of mustard
Cooking and Putting Together Chicken Burgers:
Rub the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika and olive oil. Broil in the oven broiler for 10-15 minutes on each side. Make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Heat the buns for 1-2 minutes. Spread mayo and mustard on the buns. Place the chicken breast in the buns. Add a slice of tomato and a few slices of the zucchini & squash slices (recipe above). Enjoy with home made fries.Labels: Beef Dishes, Chicken Dishes, Traditionally Not Turkish
