July 7, 2010

Chicken Cobb Burger

I swear I don't usually like Bobby Flay recipes. Really. Truly. The king of 'honey and jalapeno' usually does not do it for me. Seriously! However, this just happens to be another one of his --ahem!-- recipes. I know, I know...you don't even have to point out the obvious. Why have I made two of his recipes just this week alone, if I dislike him so much????? Well, it's complicated.

Just like I got sucked into trying a Sandra Lee recipe a few weeks ago, I found myself in the same situation with Bobby Flay. It all started out innocently enough... You see, I was on the elliptical watching the Food Network and minding my own business. I started out with a show that I liked and that show came to it's conclusion. That is when I ended up trapped. Next in the viewing line-up was one of a dozen-bazillion Bobby Flay shows (it seems like he is everywhere...I think the Food Network only really has two employees at this point--Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri.) Anyway, I had a half hour to go for my allotted exercise time; so I watched. Then, ironically, the same thing happened again the next time I exercised. To make a long excuse short, I watched him make this recipe and the pizza recipe from the other day. I must admit, they both looked really good. So, I swallowed my pride and set aside my personal distaste for Mr. Flay and gave both dishes a go. Well, the pizza turned out really, really, really good. However, the star of this little saga is really this burger. It. was. AWESOME. ::Sigh:: Awesome. Ugh. This burger was so fantastic, I may have to swallow all the bad stuff I have ever muttered about his less-than-perfect ego (Ginger-haired gentlemen should not be so cocky!) and weird herb-infused oils (One trick pony, anyone???...Doh, there I go again!) and investigate some of his other recipes.

I hate it when I am forced to admit that I could possibly be wrong.

Oh well, here is the fantastic burger recipe.

Chicken Cobb Burger
From: foodnetwork.com; by Bobby Flay 2007, Boy Meets Grill

Ingredients:

For the burgers:
8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 burger buns, split
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

Directions:

For the burgers:
Heat the grill to medium.

Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.

Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.

Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.

Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.



The Result:
I followed this recipe as written, and it was fan-freakin'-tastic. The burgers were flavorful, juicy, and moist. We loved them! I served these chicken patties on sandwich thins instead of buns, and a side of baked sweet potato fries. The whole meal was seriously delicious. Thank you (gulp) Bobby Flay.

1 comment:

Claire said...

I'm going to have to try these. I think it's a perfect opportunity to finally use the meat grinder I got for my birthday to grind up the chicken.