Brian writes: I pulled some ground beef out of the freezer before leaving for work and I’ve got some pita and cilantro. I’d love to make burgers tonight (and use the pitas instead of buns – I don’t have the latter and don’t want to pick them up). Also, I don’t want to grill (rain?). Suggestions for feeding 4?
Tony’s take: Sliders, that’s my advice. As part of the burger craze over the last couple of years, sliders have become the thing. Calling them this sounds a lot more sporting than “small burgers,” but their diminutive size can also be functional – they’re a lot easier to saute on the stovetop than a big hunking 8-oz patty (brown on one side, flip, brown on the other, and they’re done). So form the beef into little patties. And because you’ve got the pita, I would go with a Mediterranean theme and sprinkle the meat with some spices before pattying. Then sear the beef, tuck a couple of these spiced sliders into warmed pita bread with some very thin slices of that red onion, some cilantro sprigs, and some lettuce if you have (dress these vegetables before stuffing the pita). Garnish with pickles and a quick yogurt sauce if you want to go full bore.
How to do it: Season the meat: Set the beef (it looks like you’ve got about 1 1/2 lb. there) in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt (about 1 tsp.), chile powder (about 1 tsp.), ground cumin (about 1 tsp.), and a touch of black pepper, cinnamon and chipotle powder (about 1/4 tsp. each) – use cayenne if you don’t have the chipotle powder. Gently mix.
Patty the sliders: The thing with pattying burgers is that you want to use a really light touch – most people smash the hell out of burgers so the meat gets dense and spongy (like a meatball). A gentle touch is the thing. Portion them into 2-ounce balls (about the size of a ping pong ball), and then using your fingers, gently press them so they’re between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick.
Saute the burgers: Heat a splash of olive oil (between 1 and 2 Tbs.) in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the it’s shimmering hot, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add half of the patties (you want them to be evenly spaced so they cook quickly and evenly) and sear without touching until they start to brown and easily release when you pick up an edge, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until it, too, is browned and just firm to the touch (make a nick into a thicker patty – it should be a little pink), 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and cook the remaining patties in the same manner; you might want to add a little more oil and reduce the heat under the pan to medium.
To serve: Warm the pita (oven or microwave), toss any vegetables with which you’d like to stuff them (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, shredded carrot) with some olive oil, a touch of lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Slide a couple of the burgers into the pita along with the vegetables and some pickles. Drizzle with a quick yogurt sauce (yogurt – try thick Greek -, minced garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt and pepper).