The Blarney Burger
This Irish inspired hamburger is big and beefy and filled with rich tastes of whiskey and mustard sauce. Not to mention the spicy flavors of the Piccante Gorgonzola crumbles nestled throughout the burger. Now, before any of you write me saying, “Deb, Gorgonzola is not Irish, it’s an Italian cheese!”… I know… I know. But I opted for taste (and availability) over regional authenticity here. However… check out the “Did You Know?” section below for information on Irish cheeses.
(makes 4 burgers)
2lbs ground sirloin
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1 egg
2 tablespoons Worchester
1/2 cup sweet onion – diced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic
1/2 cup Piccante Gorgonzola crumbles (set aside 1 tablespoon)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
4 potato bread baker’s rolls or hamburger buns
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 egg yolks, beaten
Preparation
Mix first 7 ingredients together thoroughly… then add salt & pepper. Form patties and pat together well.
Ready To Cook?
Irish Mustard Sauce
Put all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Continue whisking until smooth and thickened to consistency of pudding. This can be made ahead of time and last in the refrigerator for a week or more.
Gorgonzola Butter-Wash
In a microwave safe bowl, add remaining tablespoon of Gorgonzola crumbles and 2 tablespoons of butter and melt. Whisk together to create a Gorgonzola butter-wash.
Burger
Cook meat over medium heat. Be sure to coat grill with non-stick spray. Cook about 10 minutes on each side.
Brush Gorgonzola butter-wash on the inside of the top & bottom buns and toast on the upper or outer edges of grill. Once rolls are lightly toasted, remove. Set meat on bottom bun and spoon Irish mustard sauce on top of meat patty. Add shredded cabbage and fold top and bottom together. And now you have The Blarney Burger!
The Perfect Bite
I think the perfect bite here… is the first bite. When all those rich ingredients explode in your mouth for the first time. But it’s a burger… every bite will be perfect. Reserve extra mustard sauce for dipping your burger. I could drink that stuff!
The Perfect Pairing
This wouldn’t be an Irish burger unless you paired it with potatoes. Bobby Flay claims to make the Perfect Fries. I haven’t tried them… but plan to. See the recipe on SeriousEats.com. And of course, on a nice summer’s eve… what would wash this all down better than an ice cold Killian’s Red?
Did You Know?
When most people think of the cuisine of Ireland… you don’t normally think of cheese right away. Maybe you think beef and potatoes, or Guinness and whiskey. But cheese? Ireland has at least a half dozen cheeses to choose from… and their not just cheddar. Read here for a list of their hard to find cheeses.
