Perfect your sliders with these delicious additions
Every summer, we look forward to that first burger, the cheese and onions melting into the patty, the soft bun toasted on the grill, the crunch of the pickle offset by the richness of the mayonnaise or the sweetness of the ketchup.
It’s a rite of summer that can be elevated slightly for a special holiday like the Fourth of July by providing your guests with big flavors in the form of small mushroom and beef sliders, plus a wide array of tasty toppings.
At Relish Culinary Adventures in Healdsburg, Chef Anne Cornell has perfected the art of the Slider Party, sourcing grass-fed beef and mushrooms from the farm market, along with artisan cheeses and an array of fresh vegetables for toppings.
“It’s so much fun, and it’s something that everybody can enjoy,” Cornell said of the class, which will be given monthly from July through October. “We cook the burgers, and then we put all the toppings on a buffet, and everyone can go through and build their own sliders.”
When sourcing for your slider buffet, it’s important to choose small tomatoes and mushrooms, or plan on cutting them into small pieces. Lettuce leaves can be shredded, and you can cut the portabello mushrooms down to size.
“The portabellos start at four inches, but they do cook down,” Cornell said. “You could also do three shiitakes, because they are slightly smaller, and stack those.”
When working with any kind it beef, it’s important not to overwork it when you mix in the salt and pepper, which is a good idea if you have a large batch of meat.
“Any time you work with ground beef, it can get really tough if you over-massage it,” she said. “Use a light touch.”
Grass-fed beef, which can now be found at most grocery stores and even Trader Joe’s, has a lot less fat in it than regular ground beef, so you can make the patties a little bit thicker.
When forming the parties, make them a bit larger than the bun, because they shrink down as they cook. And don’t forget to put an indentation in the center with your finger, to counteract the tendency of the burger to puff up.
As far as the cheese goes, it’s nice to offer guests a couple of choices. Cornell is partial to the Valley Ford Cheese Company’s Highway 1, a rustic, Fontina-style cheese that is great for melting.
“It’s a real people-pleaser,” she said. “It’s a little nutty, and melts in your mouth.”
Valley Ford also makes a new Gorgonzola-style cheese, called Bellazola, for people partial to the ever-popular blue-cheese burger.
The cheese should not be sliced too thick, but should melt into and over the sides of the burger.
“Put the cheese on as soon as you flip the sliders,” she said. “And cover the grill so that it melts into the burger.”
To complement the salty blue cheese, Cornell likes to smear on a savory jam she makes from rosemary, onions and the figs that are now coming into season.
For toppings, try roasting or grilling the fresh spring onions until they melt and turn into caramelized sweetness.
“The red ones are especially good,” she said. “Just roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper.”
With the new crop of cucumbers, simply bring some vinegar to a boil and pour it over the sliced cukes, making a quick refrigerator pickle that is fresh and crunchy. You could also make a batch of pickled spring onions, and blend them together with the pickles for a homemade relish.
As for lettuce, Cornell looks for the Little Gems, which have crispy little leaves, and keeps an eye out for smaller tomatoes.
“We like the Early Girl tomatoes, but any small tomato will do,” she said. “Look for the right size that will fit the burger and the buns.”
Of course, bacon makes everything taste better. Cornell can’t wait to try the new Honey-Lavender Cured Bacon from the Sonoma Meat Company, which she thinks will make the perfect foil for blue cheese.
Relish sources its slider buns from Costeaux Bakery in Healdsburg, but most good grocery stores also carry slider buns, Cornell said. Simply dry-toast them on the grill and you’re good to go.
All burgers taste especially good with a dollop of classic aoli, but some folks may prefer simple ketchup or an heirloom tomato jam, which adds a sweet and sour element.
Everyone has their own technique for building a burger. Cornell likes to slather both buns with a classic aioli, then add the flat toppings - lettuce, tomato and bacon - to the bottom of the burger, so the weight of the burger presses into them.
She adds the pickles and onions above, pressing the onions into the melted cheese so they meld together.
For side dishes, it’s best to keep it simple and go for a potato dish, either a potato salad or some potatoes oven-roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper.
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