May is National Hamburger Month. While I typically love a fat, juicy burger, I do have a special place in my heart for a greasy smashed-style burger. Last year, in the midst of a pandemic, I stumbled across an article which figured out the recipe for one of my favorite local burgers. I was desperately craving a Le Diplomate Burger Américain and figured I’d give it a shot. This recipe is pretty spot on. I go back to it from time-to-time, because, while the restaurant has been back open for a while now, I’m not in the city that much with my office still being closed. The only change I make to the recipe is to use gruyere in place of American cheese and I bump up the pickles in the “comeback” sauce.
Le Diplomate's Burger Américain Adapted from Washingtonian Recipe Sleuth, Anna Spiegel
Burger
Burger Sauce (recipe below)
1 pound 80% beef
4 slices gruyere
2 brioche buns
2 tbsp room temperature butter
Dill pickle slices
Small red onion, thinly sliced
Burger Sauce
2 egg yolks
2 tsp champagne vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Cholula or other hot sauce
2 tbsp water
1.25 cups canola oil
1 tbsp or more minced dill pickle
2 tsp Heinz chili sauce
1 tsp onion powder
Prepare the burger sauce by combining the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard , lemon juice, hot sauce and water in a mini-prep. Blend to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and emulsify until the texture of aioli or mayonnaise.
Take 1/3 cup of the aioli and whisk together with the minced pickles, chili sauce and onion powder. Reserve.
In a medium bowl, season the beef liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Form the beef into four ¼-lb patties.
Heat a dry cast iron skillet over high heat. When the pan begins to smoke, add the burgers, pressing them down slightly. After 2 minutes, flip the burgers and smash them down with a spatula. Place the sliced cheese on the burgers and cover the skillet to help the cheese to melt.
After 2 minutes, place a tsp or so of the burger sauce on 2 patties and cover those patties with another non-sauced patty. Place the double stacks on a cutting board to rest. Butter the split brioche buns and place them on the skillet. Turn the heat off and allow the residual pan heat to lightly toast the bread.
To assemble: place double stacked burgers on a toasted bun, top with pickle slices, some onions and about 2 tbsp of burger sauce, placing the other half of the bun on top. Serve with shoestring French fries.
______________________________ Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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