Blue Cheese Burgers
By Alison Powell
In Brooklyn, years ago, I sat at a bar with a cold beer, great company and the best burger, smothered in a blue cheese sauce. That taste memory has always stayed with me and this is my homage to that happy Sunday afternoon.
Makes 6 burgers
Ingredients:
- 500g beef mince (don’t go for too lean, a bit of fat is good in a burger)
- 1 medium egg
- 150g blue cheese (I like Saint Agur, but it is a matter of taste – cambozola, dolcelatte and Roquefort would also all work really well)
- 150g linseed
- Good grind of black pepper and pinch of salt
- 6 leaves of little gem lettuce, washed and dried
- 1 large tomato, washed, dried and sliced thinly
- 6 brioche buns
How to:
- In a mixing bowl, pop the minced beef, salt and pepper, linseed and the cracked egg. Get your hands in there and squish the mix all together until it is well mixed.
- Form into 6 even sized balls. Wash your hands then cut the cheese in to 6 equal size chunks.
- Make a well in the centre of each ball and press in a lump of cheese. Form the rest of the meat mix around it and over it, snuggling it safely in the centre and press gently into patties.
- It is good if you can make these around an hour before you start cooking them, covering and setting aside in the fridge. But, if you don’t have this time, don’t worry, they can be cooked straight away.
- Rest each burger gently on the grill pan and cook on a medium heat for about 6 minutes on each side, careful in case any fat spits out. Set them to one side to rest, whilst you then pop the brioche under the grill and just lightly toast the inside, not the tops.
- Assemble the burgers with a slice of lettuce, tomato and the burger. By all means, sprinkle a little extra blue cheese on top or spread some soft blue cheese on the brioche bun for extra tangy cheese loveliness.
