Wet and windy

and a bit nippy

 

So I decided today that I'd do some baking and tonight's dinner would be BURGERS. (today being Thursday of course).

I don't buy burgers in a box or plastic wrap, (cos I don't know what's in them) all that reclaimed meat stuff probably, and the French don't do soft bread rolls (except mass produced in a plastic wrap) which I did buy once, and inadvertently left on the side for a couple of weeks after I had opened the packet, and guess what? they were exactly the same as the ones I had eaten when they were fresh!!! HOW DO THEY DO THAT? Full of chemicals I assume, so they are a no no. as well.

 

Here in France, on the butcher's counter in the supermarkets, you can ask for them to make burgers for you. The meat is chosen from the counter and put through a mincer and shaped to the size you want, the only problem being that they are not spiced at all, just meat, which I personally find a little dry, so to make my own.

 

Firstly, the soft bread rolls, a recipe from Michel Roux Jr. 

 

500 grams flour 50/50 bread and plain flour. (16 oz total)

10 grams instant yeast (half oz)

10 grams salt (half oz)

20 gram golden syrup (1 oz)

25 gram butter (1 oz)

350 ml warm milk (14 fl oz) 

 

Place flour, yeast and salt in a bowl, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the cold milk and syrup, warm until tepid, and mix into the dry ingredients. At this point I usually mix everything in my Kenwood, with a dough hook for about ten minutes on a fairly slow speed (or of course you can knead by hand). Leave in a warm place to rise (at least double in size), and then give it a good wallop to knock it back. 

As this makes about 10 nice size rolls, weigh the dough and cut into 10 equal lumps.

To shape the dough  place the measured dough onto a non floured surface, cup your whole hand around the dough lightly and make a circular movement with you hand until the dough is a round ball, place each ball on a lightly greased baking sheet, sprinkle with flour and lightly cover with cling film, let them rise again until they are between 3 and 4 inches in diameter and place in a pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for about 12 minutes or until brown. 

 

 

 

 

They should look like that (almost good enough to eat!)

 

Next the burger. Put the mince beef in a bowl, add some caramelised onions, herbs and an egg and mix together, before placing in the fridge. When it's cool, divide up and form into the patty size you want. Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers how you like them (please don't incinerate them), cut the buns in two, add the relish your little heart desires and put you burger in. 

 

Open your mouth wide and enjoy.