Sunday, September 27, 2009

Black and Blue burger with pickled peppers



This burger was a throwback to my days of waiting tables at Houlihans. On the menu was a black and blue burger with a Cajun seasoning and a melted blue cheese. I used to order it all the time when I worked there. Of course I had to kick it up a notch so I switched the blue cheese to a Gorgonzola and I added the pickled jalapenos and pimentos. Personally, I love blue cheese. I love it on steak. I love it on salads. I love it on chicken. When you melt it it takes on a whole new texture which is creamy and delicious. The first step was to use vegetable oil to coat the burger on both sides. Then I crusted and rubbed in the blackening seasoning which consisted of Cajun flavors mixed with the typical salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then I seared in the crust with the burger over high heat on the grill. After one flip I put the big chunk of Gorgonzola and closed the lid to thoroughly melt the cheese. I chose two types of peppers to add to the burger. I love jalapeƱos especially when they are pickled. It adds a bit of tang and a bit of spice to the burger. My second peppers was a tribute to my man Jose Andres who my lovely wife Ann introduced me to last year. He has a show on PBS called "Made in Spain." One of his favorite types of peppers is the Pimento. It is grown in Spain and he often pairs it with aged cheeses and olives for a tasty snack. The Pimento is a sweet pepper so it pairs well with the more spicy JalapeƱo. I also like the color combo of the red and the green peppers on the white cheese. It makes the dish look very appetizing. All of this was on a soft fresh kaiser roll and I used ketchup on the burger to really make this one of the best burgers I have had. I am still looking forward to next week and again if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to write them in.

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