If we can agree,
this may be considered as an Italian version of a burger because the recipe I
have adapted from “Larousse, Pates riz et Cie” uses Spaghetti inspired meatballs
and Polenta (cornmeal based) fries, the polenta which originates from Italy.
When I started
to read the new recipe book I got recently, I got the idea of matching the
meatballs and polenta fries into a new revolutionary burger.
This recipe
yields for 6 burgers, and we’re all 6 at home—including the housekeeper. They all rated
this recipe for an above 10 mark over 10. By the way, I’m very credible! You
will not regret trying out this recipe!
Ingredients:
The Polenta
Fries
250g of Polenta
1 L of water
100g of Feta cheese
1 tsp of Marjoram
1 tsp of Rosemary
Sunflower oil for frying
Salt, Fleur de Sel, and ground
pepper
The Meat Love
400g of ground beef
400g of ground lamb
100g of ground bacon (The butcher
couldn’t do it for me so I grinded them instead in the blender)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
12.5 cl of red wine
1 tsp of table salt
Ground pepper (x3)
1 tsp of hamburger spices
1 cup of tomato puree (Italian
Passata)
4 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
The Burger Mayo
Sauce
4 full tbsp of light Mayonnaise
1 tsp of Garlic puree
1 full tbsp of Grain Mustard
2 tbsp of Lemon juice
The other additions to the burger
6
white plain buns
6 slices
of Light Swiss cheese
Salad
Leaves
Cookware and Cutlery:
Saucepan
Baking Mould
Whisk
Sharp knife
Preparation:
The Polenta
Fries
Boil
the water in a saucepan over a strong heat than pour over the polenta sachet
and whisk thoroughly until mixture becomes homogeneous.
Turn
the heat to low and allow the polenta to thicken for 2 to 3 minutes.
Smash
the feta cheese with a fork and add it with the herbs than the salt and mix
well.
Place a transfer or grease paper polenta to
baking dish, spreading evenly with a dampened rubber spatula. Chill, uncovered,
until set, about an hour.
Meanwhile, we’re going to prepare the meat.
The Meat Love
Preheat the oven at 180ºC (Thermostat 6)
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over
medium heat. Add the onion, the bacon and the garlic and make it back for 5 to
10 minutes while mixing frequently until the mixture becomes damp.
Pour the wine and bring to boil. After that, Set
the fire at low heat and cook for 3 minutes till complete evaporation of
liquid.
Add the mixture to the meats, the beef and the
lamb, and mix well.
Sprinkle the salt, the pepper, and the spices. Mix again.
Butter the mould that you are going to use for
baking the meatballs.
Form big fat meatballs and tamp them down by hand.
Put them on the mould while keeping enough space between every one of them.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil at medium heat then pour in
the Passata with the Worcestershire sauce and bring to boil for about 10
minutes.
Pour the tomato puree sauce on top of the
meatballs evenly. Cover the baking mould with foil paper and put in oven for 40
minutes.
You can have a break of 5 minutes before carrying
onto the next step.
The Polenta Fries
Unmold the polenta by lifting the grease paper. Even the edges with a knife and cut it
into finger-sized sticks.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, like you do for
the French fries, at high heat.
Drop the polenta by ten and allow cooking for
about 5 to 10 minutes with supervision.
Transfer the polenta fries on an absorbing
paper and season heavily with fleur de sel.
Prepare the other additions to the burger
NB: When the 45 minutes have elapsed, take off the
mould from the oven.
Wash the salad leaves and dry out.
Combine the ingredients of the mayo sauce together
and mix until homogeneous.
Setting up the burger
Open
cut the bun.
Rub
on both sides some mayo sauce.
Start
by mounting the burger; first put the Swiss cheese then top it with the meat, a
few polenta fries, and the salad leaf.
Now
devour and savor until last bite!