The once-humble burger gets a sophisticated makeover in this recipe. We’re serving our burgers on soft pretzel buns, with red onion, whole grain mustard and a smooth cheddar sauce infused with a special ingredient: hops flowers. Only recently repurposed by chefs, hops are best known for imparting slightly bitter flavor to beer. Here, their floral bite acts as a perfect counterpoint to the rich cheddar and juicy beef. We’re even updating the classic side of fries—roasting sweet potato rounds and sprinkling them with fresh, woodsy thyme.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 10 oz Ground Beef
- 2 Pretzel Buns
- 3/4 c Milk
- 1 lb Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Thyme
- 2 oz Cheddar Cheese
- 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Fresh Hops Flowers
- 1 tbsp Whole Grain Dijon Mustard
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the sweet potatoes into rounds. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Grate the cheese. Roughly chop the hops flowers. Halve the buns. Peel the onion and thinly slice into rings.
Roast the sweet potatoes:
Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast, flipping halfway through, 28 to 30 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the thyme.
Make the cheddar sauce:
While the sweet potatoes roast, in a small pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden. Gradually whisk in half the milk. Simmer, whisking frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Gradually add the cheese and cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until smooth. (If the sauce seems too thick, gradually add the remaining milk to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat and stir in the hops flowers; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.
Form & cook the burgers:
While the sweet potatoes continue to roast, place the ground beef in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper; gently mix to incorporate. Using your hands, form the mixture into two ½-inch-thick burgers. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the burgers and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium, or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place, leaving any drippings in the pan.
Toast the buns & plate your dish:
Heat the pan of reserved drippings on medium-high until hot. Add the buns, cut sides down, and toast 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and warmed through. Divide between 2 plates. Spread the mustard onto the toasted bun bottoms. Top with the cooked burgers, cheddar sauce (if the sauce seems too thick, reheat on low) and as much of the onion as you’d like (you may have extra onion). Complete the burgers with the bun tops. Serve with the roasted sweet potatoes on the side. Enjoy!