I’ve been on a bit of a burger binge of late, trying to master the smash burger on our flattop outdoor griddle, and let’s just say it’s been an enjoyable and delicious project. I absolutely love burgers. If I were to think of a dish/meal that is viewed as purely American and awesomely iconic in its deliciousness, it would be the burger. And its versatility and various ways of presenting it are legendary.
I was watching a cooking show recently. The chefs were the iconic duo of Jacques Pepin and Julia Child, and it was titled “Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home.” It aired in 1999 with 22 episodes. I’ve seen almost every episode.
Anyway, one of the episodes they covered was on beef, and more specifically the hamburger. In the episodes they prepare a lot of “upper-brow” dishes. When they are done cooking their dish, they always sample the food along with a glass of wine, commenting on how good it turned out. What struck me when they fixed and then bit into their burgers was how much joy both showed with that first bite. It was like they were kids again. Heck, Julia even had a cold beer with hers.
Today’s column isn’t so much about how to prepare the burger itself as much as it is what to put on it, and I’m going to strongly suggest you give a fried green tomato a try for a couple reasons. Green tomatoes are typically firmer with less water, which is perfect for frying. If you tried to fry a red tomato, you would have a mess on your hands, which is why you never hear Southerners discuss fried red tomatoes. Lately I am seeing green tomatoes carried at grocery stores, which is awesome. Lastly, the added texture and flavor to the burger is really fun, interesting and absolutely delicious.
