Meat Loaf Burger with Glazed Mushrooms

The best of both worlds, this burger has the flavor of meat loaf but is cooked like a burger. This means a considerably shorter cooking time, plus the benefit of the charred flavor picked up from the skillet or grill. Serve these burgers with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (page 83) and you’ll have a more expeditious version of the classic Blue Plate Special. These are slightly more formidable than a basic burger, so you should serve them on a larger bakery roll or thick slices of challah or other hearty bread.

MAKES 4 BURGERS

• GLAZED MUSHROOMS
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, stemmed and cut into ¹/₂-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth or water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground pepper

• BURGERS
• ¹/₄ cup milk
• 1 slice white or whole-wheat bread, trimmed of crust and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound ground sirloin (see note)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ¹/₄ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ¹/₄ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 bakery rolls or 8 thick slices of challah bread

To make the glazed mushrooms: Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and let it get hot, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it softens, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms soften, about 4 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the butter and stir until it is melted. Add the wine, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper to taste and stir until the mushrooms are glazed with the sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the burgers: Put the milk in a small bowl. Add the bread cubes and mix together. Let the bread sit for a few minutes to soak up the milk.

Place the ground sirloin in a medium bowl. Add the soaked bread cubes and the rest of the burger ingredients and gently mix together until just combined. Shape the mixture into 4 burgers about ³/₄ inch thick and 4 inches across. Make a ¹/₄-inch dimple in the center of each burger with the tips of your middle three fingers.

Place a skillet, preferably cast-iron, over high heat and let it get very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and spread it evenly over the pan. Arrange the burgers so they aren’t touching and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook 4 to 5 minutes more for medium-rare, or as desired.

Serve on the rolls, topped with the mushroom-onion mixture.

For charcoal-grilled burgers, make a medium-hot fire (see page 12). Cook the burgers for 5 minutes. Turn and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.

For gas-grilled burgers, preheat on high until the grill is very hot, about 500°F: Cook the burgers for 5 minutes with the lid closed. Turn and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, again with the lid closed.

Note: Use ground sirloin for this dish. Since the meat is being enhanced by the added flavors, it doesn’t need as much fat content.