Italian Burgers with Roasted Tomatoes + Herby Aioli
The dirty work has been done, the foundation has been set, and home renovation has taken a turn that equates to seeing immediate results for our home improvement efforts. Essentially we have entered the instant gratification stage, and I couldn't be more thrilled. This week we took out a window, replaced it with a nice and big sliding glass door, and knocked out a wall in our living room to give us the great room of our dreams. & good golly does my living room have a fresh new look, & I just love it! I may have essentially turned our home into a one bedroom house for the time being during this living room remodel, but it's freaking fabulous. & all part of my bigger master plan to get a full second story addition built in the near future. Or at least get my very own she-shed. But back to the point - I can finally envision our space as the home Jordan & I have fantasized about and laid in bed planning out. We’ve been trying to dream up our ideal home - drawing lots of bad sketches on computer paper in a desperate attempt to get the other person to see the vision. & now, to a certain degree, it’s come to life a little bit. Far from perfect, & it just feels like baby steps are being made to make a “forever home,” & given that we’ve never thought of anywhere else we’ve lived as a forever home, it’s nice. I never thought I would get to have a home that was dreamy. It may not be there quite yet, but getting to share something I never thought I’d have (even a little bit) with my favorite person on the planet is something to just marinate on for a minute. & at this moment I am very thankful. & also giddy...........sooooo giddy!!
It has been a construction zone around these parts though, & it has confined us to our kitchen & bedroom all week. It means cooking dinner in the kitchen, eating in the backyard, and ending the night with Netflix in bed. A routine we quite enjoy if I am being honest. There is something sweet about being a little trapped in your own home. So we are reveling in our sequestered lifestyle and celebrating these exciting changes with a burger recipe that I am now whipping up for the 3rd summer in the row - Italian Burgers with Roasted Tomatoes + Herby Aioli. & I cannot think of any other one recipe that has come out of my kitchen a total of 3 times, so it is safe to assume that these burgers are special ones. A summer essential in my book. These Italian style burgers are packed with lots of veggies and a melty, cheesy layer, & the real flavor comes through thanks to a sundried tomato & herb aioli, buttery & soft onions, and roasted plum tomatoes that are just the right amount of juicy.
It’s all in the sauce
When is it not ever all in the sauce? Every amazing burger needs and amazing sauce. & let me dwell on this aioli for a hot minute, because it is an aioli so good it warrants going on both sides of the bun. It's tomato-y, herby, garlic-y, and the perfect glue to hold all the toppings in place. & a topping good enough that theres’ no need for ketchup. Literally if you put a drop of ketchup on this burger you deserve to be shot.
Fresh Arugula
Undressed & unadulterated is the hidden gem in the world of lettuce. We put it on pizzas, bruschettas, use it as a base for pasta dishes. It makes a frequent appearance here at home. Which is funny because Jordan used to hate, & is one of the few foods he at one point told me he vehemently disliked. & now - it’s a staple. That peppery crispness is just always good, and a really good pairing with rich foods. In this case, a juicy burger. It lightens it, adds some color, and just tastes good with a fatty, juicy burger.
Tip: go very heavy with the arugula. Kind of pack it on top of the bottom bun & lay that patty right on top. It’ll hold it all together just perfectly, and make sure get some of those peppery greens in every bite.
Change up the bun
It’s a burger that gives Italian vibes, so use Italian bread. I buy ciabattas everytime it makes an appearance on the home menu. Their pillowy and perfect for absorbing that aioli & the burger juice. & you KNOW you want some good bread to soak up that juicy burger. Gross or not, but that semi-soggy bun that soaks up all thee sauce & juices from the meat kind of makes the burger experience. You know - that last bite where maybe you just have a nibble of the bun left, & you want to eat it becausee it has those good burger remnants & the last bit of sauce. Well the ciabatta satisfies that anticipation of an extra good last bite.
Anywho - what you can expect from this burger and all of the fresh ingredients incorporated is a meaty little sandwich full of natural sweetness from the tomatoes, but a sweetness that is offset by the peppery and refreshing arugula. All pairs well with a perfectly juicy burger that makes splurging on some grass-fed beef very worth it and impossible not to eat the whole damn thing.
For the Burgers
4 plum tomatoes or a heaping cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 c. mayonnaise (I use an organic mayo)
1/4 c. oil packed sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic
1 lb grassfed ground beef (or best quality ground beef you can find - it's worth it!)
2 c. arugula
4 slices provolone cheese
EVOO
Salt & pepper
Buns of your choosing (I like ciabatta rolls!)
Start by heating your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then move on to halving each tomato, placing them cut side up on the parchment. Drizzle with EVOO and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.
While the tomato cooks, melt the butter in a medium skillet of medium high heat. When the butter has melted, reduce the heat to medium and add in the onion. Let cook for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring every 3 minutes or so. Reduce the heat to low, and let cook an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the onions a soft, caramelized, and browned.
While the onion and tomatoes cook, whip out your food processor to get the aioli going. Simply add the mayo, sundried tomatoes, parsley, and garlic to the food processor, and puree until everything is well blended (you can also mince the herbs + tomatoes, and then mix by hand). The aioli will be a light, reddish color with little green flecks of parsley dispersed throughout. Set it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your burgers.
Now we can cook the burgers. Again - I am a big fan of passing this task off to your man. For this recipe, simply separate the ground beef into 4 equal portions, form into patties slightly larger that the circumference of your buns, and season both sides with salt and pepper. You can mix in a bit of seasoning (like onion or garlic powder) into the meat, but totally un-necessary if you get your hands on good quality beef. Though I am pretty sure Jordan snuck in some Worcestershire to our patties, but that's what you get when you put someone else in charge. Anyhow, when they are seasoned and good to go, grill them up to the desired doneness. I usually cook my burgers about 3 minutes per side, throwing my buns on the grill when I flip the burgers. You will also want to top each patty with a slice cheese once they are flipped.
Once the meat is cooked, cheese is melted, and buns toasted, you can assemble your burgers. Start by lathering about a tablespoon of the aioli on both sides of the bun. On the bottom bun, top the aioli with a handful of the arugula, and then place your patty on top. It is crucial to do patty over arugula to hold the leafy little lettuce in place. Then top the patty with a spoonful of the caramelized onions. Finish assembly with a tomato half right on top. Throw on the top bun, which should also be sauced up (remember: aioli on both sides!), and sink your teeth into this burger heaven. Yum yum yum!
