Crosstown Classic Burgers
Chicago is known, among other things, for its cross-town baseball rivalry and for its cross-town rivalry when it comes to who serves the best Italian beef sandwich.
The inspiration for my burger comes from the classic Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich which consists of thin slices of robustly seasoned, juicy roast beef topped with giardiniera, a crisp tangy melange of pickled carrots, celery, cauliflower, olives and packs a bit of a punch from the addition of serrano peppers. Depending on who you ask, a traditional Italian beef sandwich might also be topped with sweet or hot peppers and provolone or mozzarella cheese.
To make this burger, I seasoned the patties with the same robust flavors found in the Italian beef sandwich and topped the burgers with two kinds of cheese, a tangy giardiniera pesto with a spicy kick, crunchy peperoncini, vibrant roasted red pepper strips, and crisp lettuce leaves.
Ingredients:
Giardiniera Pesto:
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts
- ¾ Cup Chicago-style Italian sandwich mix hot giardiniera
- ½ Cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped and packed
- ¼ Cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped and packed
- ⅓ Cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/8 Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Clove garlic, chopped
Patties:
- 2 Pounds 80% lean ground chuck
- ¼ Cup beef broth
- ⅓ Cup white onion, freshly grated
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 Teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
- ½ Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ Cup vegetable oil
- 6 Slices deli provolone cheese
- 6 Slices deli mozzarella cheese
- 6 Brioche hamburger buns, split
- 6 Green lettuce leaves, crisp
- 1 Cup jarred, deli-sliced roasted red bell pepper strips, drained
- 1 Cup jarred, deli-sliced peperoncini rings, drained
Instructions:
Giardiniera Pesto:
- Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat
- Place the pine nuts in a small fireproof skillet on the grill rack
- Roast the pine nuts, stirring often, until lightly toasted, 3 – 5 minutes
- Remove the pine nuts from the heat and transfer into the bowl of a food processor
- Add the giardiniera, basil, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, kosher salt and garlic
- Process until pureed and smooth, cover and set aside
Patties:
- Gently combine the ground chuck, beef broth, grated onion, oregano, basil, garlic, kosher salt, crushed red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- Divide into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the buns
- Brush the grill rack with the vegetable oil and place the patties on the grill rack
- Cook, only turning once, 3 – 4 minutes per side for medium rare
- During the last 2 minutes of cooking top each patty with 1 slice of provolone cheese and 1 slice of mozzarella cheese
- Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to lightly toast
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the giardiniera pesto on the cut side of each bun half
- On each bun bottom, place one lettuce leaf, a patty, equal amounts of the roasted red bell pepper strips and equal amounts of the sliced peperoncini
- Add the bun tops and serve