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County Faretasty Building a better burger fresh SAN JOSE (MCT) — There are burgers — and then there are burgers. You know. The ones that make you channel a steamy Kate Upton cheeseburger com- mercial, moaning with every bite as juices and condiments run down your arms and some wiseacre at the next table says, "I'll have what she's having." But burgers at home rarely attain those ecstatic heights — or rather, they don't if you've peeled a pre- formed patty off a frozen chub and then slammed the spatula-squelched meat between supermarket buns. So we turned to experts, chefs known for their burg- er prowess — including Hubert Keller from Fleur de Lys and Burger Bar, Adam Fleischman from Umami Burger, Amy Murray from Revival Bar+Kitchen and Elena Duggan, whose Orig- inal Joe's burgers have used the same foolproof recipe since 1937. & MCT photo A bacon cheeseburger "all the way" is served at a Five Guys Burgers and Fries in Fremont. Francisco earlier this year, and is due to add an Oak- land outpost by the end of 2012. baby." Lest you fret that we're about to share tips on grilling some precious cre- ation made from foie gras and gently massaged buffa- lo flesh from Saturn, rest assured, we asked some experts for help in crafting the perfect classic burger with the following guide- lines: No esoteric meats. No wild yeast buns or molecu- lar gastronimified anything. And no time-killers remote- ly resembling British chef Heston Blumenthal's recipe for the "perfect burger," which takes 30 hours and 4 minutes. Relax, they said. It's ridiculously easy, but you'll need to leave those pre- fabbed patties behind. A burger is only as good as the meat, says Fleis- chman, owner of Umami Burger, the wildly popular Los Angeles burger chain that opened a branch in San The pros spend a lot of time sourcing high-quality meat — both Murray and Hugh Groman, of Berke- ley's Phil's Sliders, are par- tial to Marin Sun Farms' grass-fed beef, for example — but the grinding and shaping determine whether you're going to serve a beautifully textured burger or a hockey puck. Go light on the season- ing, Fleischman says, "Put stuff on them after they're cooked, not before." And don't abuse the poor things. Flip them once for "better sear and caramelization." It's a mantra echoed by every chef we talked to: freshly ground, good quali- ty meat with enough fat — 20-30 percent — to keep it juicy. And be gentle. "Give it the same atten- tion and respect as you would a nice rib-eye or New York steak," Keller says. "At $20, $30 a pound, you are taking care of it, making sure everything is right. We should have the same approach. I treat it like my Despite what you've seen in the supermarket freezer aisle, real burgers are not made from hard- packed meat, Murray says. Freshly ground meat is light and fluffy, and you can't retain that texture by unleashing your inner cave- man while shaping the pat- ties. "Act like you're a 90- beautiful buns you picked up, too — the ones that came from an actual bakery, not a polka-dotted plastic bag on a supermarket shelf — and get your condiments ready. For Groman, whose little sliders were inspired by both In-N-Out and the burg- ers at Berkeley's Cafe Rouge, his secret sauce owes a passing nod to, yes, McDonald's. Except the Phil's Sliders' sauce uses fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, pickle relish, may- onnaise and, Groman con- fides, "a little chipotle for spice." "I wanted something that really evoked the classic burger taste — something organic," he says. year-old grandmother — delicate, quiet, shhh," she says. "Don't pack it, smack it, push it, threaten it. You see people flip-flip-smash- smash and you see all that good juice running to the side of the pan." In Keller's words: "With the spatula you kill it twice." Don't flip the meat a mil- lion times, either. In fact, just once is good. Groman suspects people get bored waiting for the meat to cook and just start aimlessly flip- ping. Leave the meat alone, he says. Think about some- thing else — like the beauty of fries. Once the meat is done, let it rest off the grill for a few minutes "and the juices start being distributed evenly," Keller says. Use that time to toast the it's just too darned hot to cook. Garden fresh greens topped with vegetables and a glass of crisp, fruity white wine answer the call for dinner. For inspiration, you need only check out area farmers markets. From crunchy romaine to tender Bibb and peppery arugula, the offer- ings are hard to resist. And we know that veggies and leafy greens — the darker the leaf, the better — are good for us because they are nutrient-rich. raw vegetables, y ou can add grilled meats or seafood — even a fried egg — to a salad. In addition to grilled or Perk up salad with colorful veggies Salad is perfect when BLACK CANYON ANGUS BEEF WE FEATURE New York Steaks Boneless, Beef Boneless, Center Cut Pork Loin Chops the bun, then the lettuce to protect the bread. Tomato slices go next, to protect the lettuce from the hot patty — 8049 Hwy 99E, Los Molinos, CA NO CARDS REQUIRED FOR EVERYDAY LOW PRICING OR SALE ITEMS We appreciate your business - and we show it! HOURS: 7AM - 9 PM DAILY Prices good August 8-14, 2012 "Your Family Supermarket" Meat Specials Fresh, Drumettes 3lb. bag Tender Bird Extra Lean Ground Beef (15% fat) Spareribs Small Size Pork As for those moans and ecstatic sighs, Rodney Worth hears them every day at Alamo's Peasant's Court- yard, home to The Rodzilla. It's a towering creation of an Angus burger, fine- ground as if for meatballs, gently hand-shaped, grilled and encased in a soft pil- lowy bun. It's festooned with crispy fried onions and drizzled with a cabernet bar- becue sauce. And with all those layers, all that mois- ture and juiciness, it should be a big, soggy mess. Ah, it's all about the lay- ering, says the man who loves burgers so much, he snaps photos of them and keeps them in his iPhone. First the toasty bottom of which has rested after com- ing off the grill — then the meat, the onions and every- thing else. "A burger," he says, "is a piece of art." We'll have what he's having. ER THE PERFECT BURG- 1. Using good quality meat with a high fat ratio, 20-30 percent, form thick patties, using a gentle hand. 2. Heat the grill (or cast iron pan or griddle) until very hot. Season the patties with salt and pepper, and place them on the grill. Do not press them with a spatu- la or touch them for 3-4 minutes. they don't want to loosen from the grill, they're not ready to be flipped. Let them cook another minute and try again.) Let them cook another 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. 3. Flip the patties. (If 4. Add cheese and let it melt a little. Then remove the patties to a plate, tent with foil and let them rest for 2-3 minutes. 6. Build your burger: Place the bottom half of the bun on a plate, top with let- tuce, then tomatoes and then the patty. Add any additional condiments or special sauce, and top with the upper bun half. PHIL'S SLIDERS SPE- buns. CIAL SAUCE Makes 11⁄4 cups diced Olive oil 1⁄2 small red onion, 5. Meanwhile, toast the le relish 1 large or 2 small plum tomatoes, medium dice 1 tablespoon chipotle Salt and pepper 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon sweet pick- puree taste 1⁄4 teaspoon salt or to 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper 1. Lightly caramelize the onions in olive oil with a sprinkling of salt and pep- per. Remove from heat and let cool. 2. Combine with remain- ing ingredients, adjusting seasonings to taste. Sliders FORT CHEESEBURGER Makes 4 —Hugh Groman, Phil's BEEF AND ROQUE- 2 pounds New York strip, untrimmed and ground 1⁄4 cup Roquefort cheese Salt and pepper to taste 4 ciabatta buns, sliced in half and toasted recipe) 12 slices ripe tomatoes 1 cup mesclun mix Caramelized onions (see 1. Divide meat into 8 patties. Place 1 tablespoon cheese in the centers of 4 patties. Top with 4 more patties; seal edges. Season with salt and pepper. 2. In a cast iron skillet, sear the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes on one side, flip and cook another 4 to 5 minutes. 3. Top the ciabatta bread with mesclun and tomatoes. Place burgers on top, and top with caramelized onion rings. 384-1563 AT NO EXTRA CHARGE SPECIALLY CUT MEATS STAMPS ACCEPT FOOD WE We Accept EBT Shrimp (41-50 count) Black Tiger Wednesday, August 8, 2012 – Daily News 5A yummy-sounding recipes don't inspire you, the many beautiful color photos will. PEPPER AND GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH FRIED ALMONDS Kosher salt Figure about 2 cups of loosely packed greens per serving. After you've washed the greens, pat them dry or give them a whirl in the salad spinner. Once washed, salad greens will keep several days in the vegetable crisper. Recently, I was inspired by the ideas in Tasha De Serio's aptly titled "Salad for Dinner: Simple Recipes for Salads That Make a Meal" (Taunton, $19.95). The book covers all types of salads, from ones with greens to vegetable and fruit salads and those with grains, beans and pasta. "Leafy greens are the quintessential staple in sal- ads, and they add flavor, texture and color," De Serio writes. She recommends pairing tender greens with other tender greens and hearty ones with their hearty cousins. 3⁄4 pound thin green beans, stem ends trimmed 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 1⁄2 tablespoons sherry or red-wine vinegar, or more as needed 1⁄2 cup plus 1 1⁄2 table- spoons olive oil sliced 1 small red onion, thinly 3⁄4 c up blanched sliv- ered almonds 3⁄4 pound sweet red or orange peppers, halved, cored, seeded and thinly sliced 1⁄4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley per 1⁄4 cup roughly chopped fresh marjoram Fresh ground black pep- 4 large handfuls frisée (pale center leaves) washed and dried, or favorite salad greens Throughout the book, there are tips and sugges- tions for ways to "add sub- stance" to salads. And if the Bring a pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Have a baking sheet lined with parchment ready. Add the beans to the boiling water and cook until crisp- tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the beans, spread them on the baking sheet and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and vinegar; let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then whisk in 1⁄2 cup olive oil. Using a green bean, taste the vinaigrette and adjust with more vine- gar or salt if necessary. Set aside. small bowl and cover with ice water to crisp and remove some of its hotness. Set aside. Warm a small sauté pan Put the red onion in a White or Yellow $599 Fresh lb. Corn Strawberries 1 lb. $229 Sweet lb. Clamshell $699 ea. Fiber Rich Broccoli Crowns $299 lb. Produce Specials Vine Tomatoes Watermelons Cluster $229 lb. "Pureheart" Seedless $499 lb. "New Crop" Navel Oranges 3for 99¢ Oscar Mayer Bacon 16oz 2 for $300 59oz. Carafes Orange Juice Minute Maid Grocery Specials 99¢lb. Magnum Ice Cream Bars 3 count $129 Crystal Cottage Cheese Quarts lb. $299 ea. Thin Buns 12oz. Sara Lee $129 lb. Lay's Potato Chips 10-10.5oz. over medium heat and add the remaining 1 1⁄2 table- spoons olive oil and the sliv- ered almonds. Fry the almonds, tossing or stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel- lined plate and season with salt. Drain the onion well. Put the green beans, onion, peppers and herbs in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Gently but thoroughly toss the salad with just enough vinaigrette (you might not use it all) to lightly coat the vegetables. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if necessary. Add the frisée and almonds to the bowl, seasoning lightly with salt, and toss again, adding just enough vinai- grette to lightly coat. 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