Who doesn’t love a good, juicy burger right off the grill? While the traditional lettuce, tomato and onion are great toppers, I enjoy thinking outside of the box when it comes to building a delicious burger. This week at the store we put together a display in the produce department with lots of different fruits and vegetables that would go well on or inside a burger (think portobello mushroom, mango, avocado, fresh herbs). But why stop there? Try experimenting with different meats, cheeses, sauces and breads to make the burger your own.
Here is a list of options:
Burger
93% lean ground beef
93% lean ground turkey
Salmon
Tuna
Ground chicken
Ground pork
Bison
Portobello mushroom
Veggie – black bean, pizza, chickpea (there are several varieties that actually taste great!)
Cheese
2% American
Swiss
Sharp Cheddar
Feta
Blue
Goat
Parmesan
Fontina
Gouda (my favorite is smoked gouda – so good)
Pepper Jack
Mozzarella (try using fresh)
Veggies
Arugula
Avocado
Banana pepper
Caramelized onion
Coleslaw
Green chiles (YUM)
Grilled red and green bell pepper
Grilled pineapple
Jalapeño
Lettuce (all varieties)
Olives (all varieties)
Pickles
Red onion
Roasted red pepper
Sautéed mushroom
Spinach
Tomato (Sundried or fresh)
Sauces
BBQ sauce
Garlic aioli (aka garlic mayo)
Horseradish
Ketchup
Light or regular mayo
Mustard (all varieties – I love grainy Dijon)
Olive tapenade (olives processed in a food processor or blender with olive oil)
Pesto
Ranch
Salsa
Steak sauce
Truffle oil
Bread
Brioche bun
Ciabatta roll
Dark rye bread
Focaccia bread
Italian bread
Kaiser bun
Onion roll
Potato roll
Pretzel bun (my favorite)
Sourdough roll
Wheat bun
Here is a recipe I developed using several of these delicious ingredients:
Basil-Feta Burgers with Caramelized Onion and Avocado
Serves 4
Caramelized Onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Basil-Feta Burger
1/2 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 bunch basil, stemmed and chopped
3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
4 whole wheat bakery buns, split
Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Add brown sugar, salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, combine beef, basil, feta, onion, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
