Bloody Mary Burgers

You turn hotdogs with tongs. Don’t you ever use those tongs on a hamburger.
J. B. Smoove

So before we sign off for this week for the pantry, fridge and freezer assignment…when the fridge holds too many condiments it is time for something just a little different and then freezer diving for some of the last of the ground beef blend that I grind and keep on hand for burgers, meatballs and meatloaf…I like to grind my own beef because I can control the fat content and package appropriate portions for meatloaf etc.

What a great day it was for grilling and Hugh’s Bloody Mary burgers with horseradish dressing sounded like a winner to me along with a simple side of a veggie salad for the weekly veggie bin clean out…fattoush a middle eastern version of panzanella for lack of a better description and features sumac, but have no fear, lemon or lemon pepper make a great substitute. I made crispy rough croutons out of whatever bread was needing to be used up, but pita is the normal bread ingredient and I imagine that you can mix in a favorite grain such as quinoa, couscous, or pasta to have a great vegetarian supper dish.

Makes 4 burgers, wow they must be hefty burgers!  I cut the recipe in half and I made smaller burgers 4+5 ounces each
the following ingredients can be adjusted to your preferences…
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon celery seeds
4 to 8 dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds ground round
A little canola or olive oil

For the dressing blend all of the ingredients, cover and refrigerate: ¾- to 1¼-inch piece horseradish root, freshly grated
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or you can use sour cream and I might add that you might want to make extra for a good slather on each toasted bun
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve: 4 good bread buns, drizzled with EVOO and grilled, (Kaiser type ciabatta rolls, or thick slices of baguette).

Optional goodies tomatoes lettuce and ketchup.
Mix together the tomato paste, horseradish, celery seeds, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and a generous grinding of black pepper.
Add the beef and mix thoroughly with your hands, making sure the seasonings are spread throughout the meat.
Allow to stand for at least an hour for the flavors to develop.
Meanwhile, make the horseradish dressing.  Shape the meat into patties about ¾ inch thick.
Lightly brush each one with oil, then place on a grill over high heat. It’s hard to give exact cooking instructions due to variables such as the thickness of the burger, the heat of the grill, and personal preference.

Let the burgers rest for a minute or two while you prepare the buns. To serve, toast the buns or other bread lightly on the cut side, then top with optional lettuce leaves and tomato slices.
Add the burgers and smear with horseradish sauce, and a dollop of ketchup if you like. Top with the other half of the bread.

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Fearnley-Whittingstall, Hugh (2011-04-19). River Cottage Every Day (Kindle Locations 2862-2872). Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. Kindle Edition.