Hamburgers a la Plancha on Ciabatta Rolls

Shorey wanted me to show her how to cook a la plancha. That Spanish term refers to fish, meat, or vegetables that are grilled on a flat metal plate or griddle. I use a heavy cast-iron or aluminum skillet instead, but you can also cook these hamburgers outside on the grill.

I like relatively lean ground beef for my hamburgers, either sirloin or chuck. I serve them on hard ciabatta rolls, rather than regular hamburger buns. I cut them horizontally into 3 slices, reserve the center slices for something else, and sandwich the hamburgers between the top and bottom slices only. That way, the ratio of bread to meat is less and the hamburgers are not too thick to eat easily.

I lightly brush the rolls with olive oil and cook them to a crispy brown in the oven. I cook the hamburgers in a very hot skillet for about 1½ minutes per side for medium-rare, which is how Shorey and I like them. At the table, our favorite additions are iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, and Vidalia onion slices, as well as ketchup, mayonnaise (Gloria’s favorite garnish), and mustard, Shorey’s favorite.

Makes 2 sandwiches

• 8 ounces ground beef
• 2 hard ciabatta rolls (about 4 ounces each)
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 4 slices ripe tomato
• 2 to 4 slices mild onion, such as Vidalia or Maui
• 2 to 4 iceberg lettuce leaves
• Ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, for serving

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Divide the beef in half and shape into 2 patties measuring about ¾ inch thick and 3½ inches in diameter; set aside.

Place the rolls on the counter and cut each one horizontally into 3 slices, about ½ inch thick. Reserve the center slices for another use. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Press the slices of bread into the oil, turning them so they are lightly oiled on both sides. Place in the oven and bake until the bread is crusty and nicely browned, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron or heavy aluminum skillet over high heat for a couple of minutes, until very hot. Sprinkle the hamburger patties with the salt and pepper and spread the remaining ½ tablespoon oil on both sides. Add to the hot pan and cook for about 1½ minutes on each side, until nicely browned and cooked to medium-rare (or adjust the timing according to your own taste preferences). Remove the hamburgers from the heat and let them rest on a plate for a couple of minutes.

Assemble your burgers on the rolls at the table, adding the tomato, onion, and lettuce and garnishing them as you like with ketchup, mustard, and/or mayonnaise.

“The least fun thing about cooking, in my opinion, is cleaning up.”

—Shorey