Le Cheeseburger

Le Cheeseburger

A standout burger with a French twist

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

BURGER INGREDIENTS:
4 brioche buns
1 cup gribiche (see sub recipe below)
¼ cup red onion small dice (Chef’s Tip: rinse thoroughly after dicing to remove strong onion aroma)
4 7-8 oz. burger patties
5 oz. sliced Tomme de Savoie cheese (Chef’s Tip: can substitute for St. Nectaire, available at Whole Foods or your local specialty cheese store)
20 burger pickle rounds (see recipe for Burger Pickles below, or Chef recommends Dave’s Famous Hot and Sweet Pickles)
3 cups French Fries (Chef recommends Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries, preferably cooked in an Air Fryer)
1 cup ketchup, for dipping
1 cup black pepper aioli, for dipping (see sub recipe below)
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Butter, for brushing buns

GRIBICHE INGREDIENTS:
Yield: 2½ cups
2 cups mayonnaise (Chef recommends Hellman’s Mayonnaise, but any preferred substitution is great)
2 Tbsp. capers, chopped
2 Tbsp. cornichons, chopped (Chef’s Tip: these may be called “baby gherkins” depending on the store)
2 tsp. tarragon, chopped
2 tsp. parsley, chopped
2 tsp. chives, finely chopped/minced
½ tsp. ground black pepper

BLACK PEPPER AIOLI INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. roasted garlic puree (Chef recommends Gourmet Garden or Alessi)
¼ tsp. cracked black pepper
Pinch salt

BURGER PICKLES
Yield: 2½ cups
3 cups pickling cucumbers, sliced thick
1 cup yellow onion, sliced thin
1½ Tbsp. pickling salt
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. ground turmeric, ground
1 tsp. whole mustard seeds
1 pinch chili flakes

Method:

GRIBICHE METHOD:
1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. (Chef’s Tip: Refrigerate leftover gribiche in an airtight container for up to one week to use as an elevated mayonnaise for your sandwiches.)

BLACK PEPPER AIOLI METHOD:
1. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth and store cold until ready to use. (Chef’s Tip: Refrigerate leftover black pepper aioli in an airtight container for up to one week.)

BURGER METHOD:
1. Season each burger patty generously on both sides with coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Preheat a large skillet or grill over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Chef recommends using a cast iron skillet because its flat surface allows for even heat distribution and a great sear on your burger.
3. Sear burgers by pressing down on it with a cooking weight or the back of a metal spatula at the beginning of the cooking process. (Chef’s Tip: This will increase the burger diameter by about ¾ inch which helps the burger cover the entire surface of most buns.)
4. Cook burgers for about 4 minutes per side, or, if using a meat thermometer, until your burger is about 1 minute away from your desired internal temperature, then add cheese and cover the pan so the cooking heat can melt the cheese. (Chef’s Tip: Pull burgers off heat around 125°F and let them rest to medium heat, about 135°F.)
5. Butter the burger buns and toast or grill them to your liking.
6. Spread 2 Tbsp. of gribiche on the top and bottom halves of burger buns.
7. Top each burger with 1 Tbsp. of diced red onions and 5 pickle rounds and top with bun.
8. Divide black pepper aioli and ketchup into separate ramekins holding ¼ cup of each and serve with burgers for dipping, along with a side of fries (frites).

BURGER PICKLES METHOD:
1. Combine sliced cucumbers and onions and season with pickling salt, letting them sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. After 2 hours, drain all the liquid from the vegetables and put them into a 64-oz. mason jar or any similarly shaped, heat-resistant container.
3. Bring the remaining ingredients to a boil and pour over the seasoned cucumbers and pickles.
4. Cool completely, and store refrigerated.
5. Allow the pickles to sit for at least one day before using so they really take on the flavor of the brine.
6. You will have extra pickles that can be refrigerated for up to 6 months.

Download the recipe