Steak Frites Burger with Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients

• 300 g Ground steak or beef mince (20% fat ideal; source says ground steak or beef mince)
• 1 tbsp Salt (For the burgers; the instructions also call for a large pinch)
• 0.5 tsp Cracked black pepper (For the burgers)
• 1 tsp Mustard (For the burgers)
• 3 Burger cheese slices
• 2 Brioche buns (Sliced and toasted)
• 1 Large potato (Peeled and julienned very thin; source also mentions preparing two packs the day before, but does not specify pack size)
• Neutral oil (For frying the frites; plus 2 tbsp for cooking the burgers and oil for the peppercorn-sauce pan are specified in the method, but no amount is given for the fries or sauce)
• 1 tsp Salt (For the frites; source says or to taste)
• Chives (For the frites; amount unspecified)
• 0.5 cup Kewpie mayonnaise (For burger sauce)
• 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1 clove Garlic (Crushed)
• 0.5 lemon Lemon juice (Source says “½ lemon juice”)
• Salt (A pinch, for the burger sauce)
• 1 tsp Honey
• Chives (A handful, for the burger sauce)
• Water (As needed to loosen the burger sauce)
• 4 tbsp Butter (For the peppercorn sauce)
• 4 Shallots (Finely diced)
• Fresh black peppercorns (A large handful, lightly crushed; amount not specified)
• 1 shot Brandy (Flambéing is optional; shot size is unspecified)
• 150 ml Beef stock
• 150 ml Double cream
• Salt (To taste, for the peppercorn sauce)
• 2 tbsp Fresh chives (Finely chopped; for the peppercorn sauce)
• 2 tbsp Neutral oil (For cooking the burgers in the cast-iron pan)

Steps

1. 1

   Peel the potato and use a mandoline to cut it into very thin slices, then julienne the slices. Place the potato strips in an ice bath for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Drain and thoroughly dry the potato strips. Heat neutral oil for frying, then fry the strips until crisp. Transfer to a bowl, add chives and salt, and toss to coat.

3. 3

   Make the burger sauce: in a bowl, combine the Kewpie mayonnaise, smoked paprika, honey, crushed garlic, chives, and a pinch of salt. Add water as needed to loosen it to a saucy consistency.

4. 4

   Put the ground steak or beef mince in a bowl. Add a large pinch of salt, the cracked black pepper, and mustard, then combine and shape into balls.

5. 5

   Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a cast-iron pan until it begins to smoke. Add the burger balls and flatten them in the pan.

6. 6

   Flip the burgers. Add the cheese slices, reduce the heat, and cover the pan until the cheese melts.

7. 7

   Assemble the burgers in the sliced, toasted brioche buns with burger sauce and the patties. Cut them in half, then char the assembled burgers in a pan.

8. 8

   For the peppercorn sauce, add the diced shallots to an oiled pan and cook until softened.

9. 9

   Add the butter and cook for a few more minutes.

10. 10

    Add the lightly crushed black peppercorns and toast gently for a few minutes, taking care not to burn them.

11. 11

    Turn the heat up and add the brandy. Flambé if desired; the source notes this is not needed.

12. 12

    Reduce the sauce by half. Turn the heat down, add the beef stock and double cream, and finish with the chopped chives and salt to taste.

Notes

The source mentions preparing the fries the day before, but does not provide exact quantities for oil, the fries' chives, or the amount of potato intended by “x2 packs.” The written method does not specify cooking times or temperatures for the burgers, exact sauce reduction timing, or how/when to serve the peppercorn sauce; use a food thermometer for ground beef as desired. Brandy flambé is explicitly optional. The description says the buns are sliced and toasted, but does not give a separate toasting method.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• burger
• steak
• fries
• Valentine's Day
• cast-iron
• fried
• comfort food