Cheeseburgers Around the World -- Part I

My husband loves a good hamburgerburger.  From the cilantro-laiden Chimmichuri burgers popular in the Dominican Republic to the Austrailian style burger (with a pineapple slice and an egg), he has embraced them all.  So when I unvieled the cultures for the upcoming Cooking Around the World class, he was excited about the burger possibilities, and has graced my blog with his versions of New Mexican and Filipeno style burgers. Chili Burgers and Jollibee's Filipeno Hash Brown Burger.

Next week, he'll give us part two, where he covers Chinese-Style Bun Burgers, and as well as Soulviaki (also known as Gyros, the hamburger of Greece).

Filipeno Hash Brown Burger -- Filipeno burger recipes are often quite  to American burgers.  Sometimes, other meats (such as Longanissa -- a chorizo-like sausage) are added to the ground beef to give it more depth of flavor and a kick of spice.  And sometimes a sweet element is added.  But mostly it's recognizable as a standard burger.  But there is a Filipeno burger chain that serves something a little different (and is holding its own beside the MacDonalds and Burger King franchises dotting the country).  It's the Jolibee Hash Brown Burger.  Jollibee calls the beef patty "langhap-sarap" -- "best of all"; determined by the smell, and promises crunchy, crispy, burgery goodness, as seen in thier commercial.  Here's my take on it:

  

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder
3 tbsp. diced onion

12 large hash brown patties, baked until crisp

ketchup

6 slices American cheese

Combine the ground beef with the salt, pepper, onion powder and onion flakes.  Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions.  On a sheet of waxed paper, pat out the beef mixture into rectangular patties a little larger than the size of your has browns.  Freeze the patties for an hour or so.  Preheat the grill and cook to desired degree of doneness.  Meanwhile, bake the  hash brown patties according to package directions.  When burgers and hash browns are both done, squeeze desired amount of ketchup onto the top of half the hash browns.  Top with a slice of American cheese, a burger, and the remaining hash browns

New Mexican Green Chili Cheeseburgers -- Green chili cheeseburgers got thier start in the 1950s, along Route 66 at roadside burger joints.  A number of different establishments all claim to have created the special burger, each claiming the owner ran out of bowls for serving green chili-based side dishes (the green chili is, after all, the state vegetable).  Green chili burgers have now become such a culinary icon that the state has put together a map of the "Green Chili Cheeseburger Trail," which you can follow to discover the best green chili burger:

Aren't going to New Mexico any time soon?  You can take advantage of the increasing availability of fresh Hatch chilis and create your own. 

3 Fresh Hatch chilis

Olive oil

1/2 of a medium onion

1 lb. ground beef

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tsp. frshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayanne

1 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. parsley flakes

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese

4 hamburger buns *

Mayo (or other condiments)

1 medium tomato, sliced

4 leaves lettuce, romaine or your favorite

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place chilis on a baking sheet, and drizzle approximately 1 tablespoon of oil over each.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Roast in oven until black spots form (25-30 minutes), turning occasionally.  Set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, slice onion and cut into strips.  Pour a little olive oil in a small skillet and sautee the onion over medium-high heat.  Also meanwhile, preheat grill. In a large bowl, mix ground beef with garlic, pepper, cayanne, salt and parsley. Shape into 4 patties. Cook on grill until desired doneness is achieved.  Cut tops off of roasted peppers.  Remove the seeds.  Peel off skin and slice into long strips.  Top each bun with a hamburger patty and cheese, peper strips, sauteed onions, tomato slice, and a lettuce leaf.

* I decided to make home-made buns for these burgers.  I used the home-made bun recipe Dragana posted over at Pryatno.  They came out perfectly.  Thanks Dragana!