Fontina Stuffed Burgers With Portobellos And Bacon And Roasted Potato Wedges Recipes

THE B AND B "BASH BURGER"

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill to high heat or heat a large skillet over high heat.
• Sprinkle the patties generously with salt and pepper and place on the grill. Spread each patty with 1 teaspoon of the Dijon mustard, and then grill or pan-sear the burgers to desired temperature. During the last minute of cooking, place a slice of cheese on each patty until it begins to melt.
• To assemble the burgers, dress both sides of each bun with 1 tablespoon of the Special Sauce. Place the patties on the bottom buns and top each burger with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the warm Bacon Jam. Place the top bun on each burger, slice in half, and serve immediately.
• Render the bacon in a pan over low heat with 1/4 cup water until crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet and add the canola oil and onions. Sweat the onions over low heat until translucent and lightly caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes, and then transfer to a nonreactive bowl.
• Pulse the bacon lardons in a food processor until they reach a coarse consistency. Fold the bacon into the onions, and then stir in the vinegar and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and then let cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Remove the thyme sprig when reheating.
• Blend together the mayonnaise, ketchup, sherry vinegar, Sriracha and garlic in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

FONTINA-STUFFED BURGERS WITH PORTOBELLOS AND BACON AND ROASTED POTATO WEDGES

Steps:

• For the burgers: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with a rack. Roast until the bacon is crisp but still pliable, 20 minutes.
• Using a large spoon, scrape the gills out of the mushrooms. Toss the mushrooms with olive oil and some salt and roast for 20 minutes.
• Divide the ground beef into 8 portions; season generously with salt. Roll each portion into a ball and flatten into a patty. Make a nest or indentation in four of the patties and fill each with 2 ounces of the fontina. Place the remaining patties on top of the cheese-filled patties, pinch firmly to close, and then press and shape the patties.
• Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and add the onions. Season with salt and cook until the onions are starting to brown and are very soft and aromatic, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Heat a large griddle or flat-top over medium-high heat. Coat the griddle lightly with olive oil and cook each burger until very brown and crusty, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• Cut the rolls almost all the way in half, leaving one side intact, so they open like a book. Place open-side down on the griddle and toast.
• Place a burger on the bottom half of each roll. Break the bacon strips in half and place 4 halves on each burger. Divide the onions among the burgers. Cut each mushroom in 3 slices and arrange on top of the onions. Top with the remaining fontina. Place the burgers on the baking sheet and roast or broil until the cheese has melted. Top each burger with baby arugula and close the roll. Serve hot.
• For the potato wedges: Toss together the Parmigiano-Reggiano, olive oil and potatoes in a bowl; season with salt. Lay the potatoes out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and roast for an additional 10 minutes.
• Toss the potatoes with the parsley and serve alongside the burgers.

ROASTED POTATO WEDGES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Toss the potato wedges with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Lay the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook until golden brown on each side, flipping halfway through, about 12 minutes per side. When both sides are golden and the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, the taters are done.

BACON, POTATO, ROSEMARY AND FONTINA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put a jelly roll pan or half sheet pan in the oven.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the fingerling potatoes, onion, bacon, and rosemary leaves. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss together to coat with olive oil.
• Take the preheated jelly roll pan out of the oven and drizzle some olive oil over entire surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and reserve 1 piece for another use. Stretch the pizza dough out so it is just bigger than the pan, then lay it inside the pan so the dough comes up the sides to form a crust on the rim.
• Pour the potato mixture onto the pizza dough, then sprinkle with shredded fontina. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with arugula and drizzle the lemon juice over the top. Serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until it's smooth and elastic.
• If you're making the dough by hand, add the yeast mixture to a large bowl and stir in the salt and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then begin stirring in the flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead in the rest of the flour by hand, adding just enough so that the dough is soft but not too sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.