Ethiopian Siga Wat Sliders with Berbere Sauce

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

I love doro wat and wanted to capture this same flavor on a burger using beef.

Ingredients:

2 small aluminum pans

31/2 cups water

Berbere Sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
1medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium serrano pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 can, 6 ounces tomato paste

Berebere Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon clove
2 teaspoon cajun spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

3 medium eggs

Patties
2 pounds ground chuck 75/25 mix
2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder

12 Small Japanese Buns, split

24 sprigs of fresh coriander

Instructions:

Pour 3 1/2 cups water into 1st aluminum pan place pan on back of grill.

Place stick of butter into 2nd aluminum pan and place pan on back of grill. Once butter melts, add onion, garlic and serrano pepper to pan. Heat additional 5 minutes.

Combine the following spices to a mortar and pestal:
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon clove
2 teaspoon cajun spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
Crush and mix the spices together to form the berbere seasoning

Add the tomato paste and 1 1/2 tablespoons of berbere seasoning to the berbere sauce pan, stir and continue to cook.

Add 3 eggs to pan with heated water. Cook for 11 minutes. Remove the eggs, cool off in cold water, crack and shell. Cut eggs into 12 sections.

Add 12 sections of egg to pan with berbere sauce. Stir and remove from direct heat, place onto top rack.

Place 2 pounds of ground chuck into a large bowl. Combine the sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin powder to the meat. Mix quickly and gently. Split the meat into 2 equal halves. Form 6 balls of meat from each half. Flatten 1 ball of meat between wax paper to a 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick patty.

Remove berbere sauce from the grill, cover with aluminum foil.
Place 12 patties on to a clean grill. Cook on one side for 4-5 minutes. Turn once and cook for additional 4-5 minutes. Remove the patties from the grill and place the split buns, cut side down, on the outer edge of the grill rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, on each bottom bun, place grilled patty, top patty with 2 tablespoons of berbere
sauce including one section of egg then add 2 springs of coriander and add the top bun. Repeat the processing serving 12 sliders to the judges.