Perhaps you’re thinking, why waste some precious morels on a burger? Or maybe you’re thinking, why overwhelm a decent burger with morels? But try this burger once and you’ll understand. Assemble the patties in the morning and let them sit covered in the fridge for the day. This will help the veal to be infused with the piquant flavor of the morels. Though still a burger, when topped with the luxurious cream sauce, it’s transformed into something splendid, like when one of the racetrack regulars finally picks a long shot that actually wins. Serve on rounds cut from the center of a slice of decent toasted white bread. Pair these with the Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (page 80).
MAKES 4 BURGERS
Soak the morels in warm water in a small bowl for 1 hour. Strain them, saving the liquid. Rinse the morels gently; looking to remove any pieces of dirt in the folds. Transfer to paper towels and gently pat dry.
Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter. Just when the butter stops sizzling, add the morels and cook until they begin to get a bit crispy around the edges, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Reserve half of the morels. Chop the remaining ones coarsely and transfer to a medium bowl.
Add the veal to the bowl with the chopped morels. Sprinkle on the 1 teaspoon salt 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 remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread it evenly over the pan. Arrange the burgers so they aren’t touching and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn and cook about 4 minutes more. They should be just a bit pink in the center, or about 160°F. Transfer the burgers to a plate.
Add the shallots and reserved morels to the pan and cook, stirring continuously until the shallots soften, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until it is reduced by half, about 1 more minute. Add the cream and cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce reduces by half and starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
For presentation, set a toast round just off the center of each plate. Arrange a burger half-off each toast round. Top with the cream sauce, making sure the morels are evenly distributed among each plate. Top with the remaining toast circles, leaning them against the burgers at a rakish angle. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately. This is the one burger in this book you probably want to eat with a knife and fork.
Note: Fresh morels are available in the spring and can be substituted for dried. Use 1/4 pound fresh morels for 1 ounce dried. Morels are a bit expensive, but fresh or dried, their flavor is unique and is close to the intensity of a truffle.
