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June 28, 2008
Adapted from the May 2008 issue of The Rosengarten Report. Copyright 2008 by David Rosengarten.
I've always been fascinated by hamburger meat mixed with bread in various forms: crumbs, soaked bread, etc. So after coming upon a recipe for bitiki, or Russian hamburger "cakes," I thought I'd take a shot at homage. Oh, man! I love these things, caught in the interspecies synapse between hamburgers and meat loaf. Your result will be nothing like a burger - but excellent in its own right.
Special meat preference: supermarket ground beef, preferably the wavy stuff.
Special bun preference: steamed and soft.
Special condiment preference: mayonnaise, shredded lettuce and dill pickles.
Makes 4 bitiki
1. Place 1 cup home-made bread crumbs in a bowl, and drizzle with 1/4 cup hot milk. Add 1 pound ground meat, 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes (yeah ... convenience food ... but how else do you get that nostalgic cafeteria taste?), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Mix together gently but well.
2. Form into 4 burgers. Dust each burger with flour.
3. Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the patties, and cook until golden-brown outside, medium-rare inside.
4. Place the cooked burgers on warm buns that have been slathered with mayonnaise. Top each burger with 3 round slices of dill pickle, and a small mound of shredded lettuce.