Main Story:
Build a Better Burger
My neighbor gave me this Cacciatore Burgers Recipe, which is based on a Rachel Ray recipe. My neighbor prefers this burger with ground turkey and portobello mushrooms used as a bun, which is imaginative and delicious – but ground beef and hamburger buns work deliciously, as well.
Burgers:
1 1/3 pound ground beef or turkey
Salt and pepper
6 crimini mushrooms (baby portobellos), stems removed and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1?2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed away from skin and finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1?2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1?2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Portobello ‘Buns’:
4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 cups arugula leaves coarsely chopped, divided
1?2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Sliced red onion
Sliced fresh tomatoes
Heat oven to 450°F (for the mushrooms). Over medium-high heat, heat large nonstick skillet or fire up grill.
Combine meat, salt, pepper, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire, crushed red pepper flakes, cheese and parsley.
Form meat into 4 large patties, 1-inch thick; score top. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on top, then fry or grill 5 or 6 minutes on each side.
For “buns”: Place portobello caps on small baking sheet, gill side up, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast caps 12 minutes. Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper. Turn oven off.
Top each cap with about 1?2 cup arugula and a burger. Cap burger with mozzarella and place back in still-warm oven. Melt cheese 1 minute. Transfer burgers on “bun” bottoms to plates. Top with onions and tomatoes and serve.
