French Onion Cheese Burger

French Onion Cheese Burger

serves 4

(America)

My granddaughter, Becky has two loves (not counting me) . . . my French onion soup and hamburgers, this is my tribute to her favourites. 

Ingredients

the burger:

1 ¼ pounds ground beef

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes

1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

French onion sauce:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups good beef broth

¼ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, roughly chopped

¼ cup port wine

cheese toast

shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste

shredded Jarlsberg cheese, to taste

cheese toast:

4 ½-inch slices of Italian or French bread, sliced diagonally

2 tablespoons butter, softened

½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese

4 tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation

the burger:

1.  In a large mixing bowl combine all the burger ingredients except the flour.

2.  Divide the ground beef mixture into 4 even portions.  Shape each portion into 1-inch thick, oval hamburger patties.

3.  Construct a dredging station by placing 2 tablespoons of the flour onto a flat, shallow dish and dredge, on both sides, each of the patties in the flour.

4.  Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  When the oil reaches the ripple stage add the patties and sauté them until they are nicely browned, about 3  minutes on each side.

5.  When the burgers are nicely browned removed them from the pan.  Leave the pan on the burner and proceed to prepare the sauce.

the sauce:

1.  Add the thinly sliced onions and the sugar to the same sauté pan and sauté them  for 5 minutes.  Stir in the granulated garlic and the tomato paste and sauté until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute.  Sprinkle the remaining flour over the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. 

2.  Add the beef broth, port, salt, and thyme and stir to thoroughly incorporate all the ingredients.

3.  Return the burgers to the pan, raise the heat and bring the sauce to a boil.  When  the sauce comes to a boil immediately reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes.

the cheese toast:

1.  Preheat your oven to 400° F.

2.  Place the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet.

3.  In a small bowl combine the softened butter, garlic, and paprika.  When the ingredients are thoroughly combined spread ¼ of the mixture on one side of each of the bread slices.

4.  Evenly sprinkle ¼ of the shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the buttered sides of each of the bread slices and do the same with the shredded Jarlsberg.

5.  Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven and bake the bread slices until the bread is crisp and the cheeses are bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.

the service:

Place some of the sauce on each serving plate and top with one slice of the cheese toast,  then place one of the burgers on each of the cheese toasts.  Top each of the burgers  with  shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano and shredded Jarlsberg to taste, ladle ¼ of the remaining sautéed onions and sauce over each of the burgers and finally garnish each dish with chopped parsley.  Serve immediately.