Wild Mushroom–Cheddar Burger

Name: Wild Mushroom–Cheddar Burger
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 12 ounces assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, lobster, chanterelles, and stemmed shiitakes), chopped; 1 small shallot, finely diced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean) or ground turkey (90 percent lean); 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil; 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese; 4 hamburger buns, split; toasted (see page 15), if desired; Chipotle Ketchup (page 112; optional)

December 9, 2011

During my travels for the old Food Network show Food Nation, I had the opportunity to go foraging for mushrooms with an expert while in Washington State. I can’t think of mushrooms without remembering that trip. Now I do NOT recommend hunting for your own mushrooms—let’s leave that to the experts—but I do recommend using a variety of what your supermarket has to offer. They may not be technically “wild,” but a blend from your market will still be delicious and, more important, not deadly! I think that any cheddar would pair well with the mushrooms, but if you can find a sharp Tillamook cheddar from Oregon, it would be all the better.

Recipe notes

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