Sunnys Easy Bruschetta Burger Recipes

BANGIN' BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high. Using 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, brush both sides of the baguette slices and grill until golden brown and lightly charred around the edges, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and set aside. Using another 2 tablespoons olive oil, brush eggplant and onion and grill until lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove eggplant and onion from heat, season with salt, and set aside, on a cutting board, until cool enough to handle. Slice both into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine eggplant, onion, tomato, garlic, remaining tablespoon olive oil, black pepper, pepperoncini and pickling juice in a bowl. Toss to combine and check for seasoning, adding additional salt, if necessary. Assemble toasts on a serving platter and place a heaping spoonful of vegetable mixture on top of each. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

SUNNY'S SMOKEHOUSE BURGER

Steps:

• Roast the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil.
• In a large bowl, add the mushrooms, a generous drizzle of oil, Italian seasoning, paprika and red chile flakes and toss to coat. Spread the mushrooms out on the lined baking sheet. Bake until they shrink a bit and the moisture looks mostly wicked away, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and lightly season with salt. Allow to cool a bit on the sheet, then transfer to a bowl.
• Make the patties: In a large bowl, add the beef in chunks and sprinkle with the salt and plenty of pepper. With your less dominant hand, fold and mix the burger with your fingers stretched open like a pitchfork. Mix until just combined. Divide into 4 equal parts and make a ball out of each. Flatten to a size just a bit wider in circumference than your buns.
• Fit a baking sheet with a rack and set aside. In a cast-iron pan or griddle on medium heat, add a bit of oil, then the patties. Cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to the baking sheet and top each with two slices of cheese. Tent with aluminum foil or cover with an upside-down metal baking dish for about 5 minutes.
• Make the onion rings: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pour 2 inches of peanut oil in a tall pot and heat on medium-high heat until the temperature registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fit a baking sheet with a rack and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, the smoked paprika and a nice pinch of salt. Whisk in the beer until the mixture resembles a thick pancake batter. Drink the remaining beer. In a separate bowl, add and separate the rings of onion, then dust them with the remaining 1/2 cup flour, tossing with your hands to ensure that they are all coated.
• Working in small batches so as to not overcrowd the pot, dunk the flour-coated onions into the batter, then directly into the oil. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the onion rings to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Continue to fry the onion rings, allowing the oil to return to 350 degrees F before adding more.
• Assemble burgers: Place a patty on each bun bottom, then add some mushrooms, 2 to 3 onion rings and drizzle of your favorite barbecue sauce. Top with the bun tops.

SUNNY'S BREAKIN'-THE-FAST BURGER

Steps:

• For the rolls: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Scoop a bit of bread out of each roll top to create a well, discarding the scooped bread. Brush the insides, top and bottom, with the melted butter. Close the rolls and wrap individually or together in aluminum foil, then place directly on the oven rack to warm while preparing the burgers, no longer than 20 minutes.
• For the burgers: Add the ground chuck, bacon, paprika, salt and a few grinds of pepper to a large bowl. Gently mix with your non-dominant hand, using your fingers like a pitchfork so you don't squish the meat. Mound the mixture into a ball and divide in half, then divide each half in half again to make 4 even portions.
• Add a drizzle of olive oil to a griddle pan over high heat. Gently roll each portion of meat into a ball and place on the pan. Using the back of a plate, a flat lid or a spatula (with no holes), press each ball into a flat patty, slightly larger than the rolls. Cook the patties until they easily release from the griddle, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, then top each with a slice of cheese and continue to cook until the patties are cooked through and the cheese is melted, another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the jalapeño to the griddle and char on all sides, then remove and finely chop, removing the seeds if you would like less heat.
• Build the burgers: Whisk the hot sauce and maple syrup together in a small bowl. Remove the rolls from the oven and unwrap. Put a patty on each roll, then drizzle each with the maple hot sauce. Top each with some jalapeño followed by a fried egg and more hot sauce as desired.

SUNNY'S EASY ON YOUR BODY AND LEAN JALAPENO BURGER

Steps:

• For the grill: Preheat the grill to 400 degrees F or a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
• Crumble the beef into a large bowl. Add the salt, seasoning blend and some pepper. Mix the beef mixture gently with your hands so as to not overmix. Just fold the ground beef, don't mush or squeeze the ingredients into the beef. Form 4 patties.
• Place the patties and the jalapenos over the direct heat of the grill or into the cast-iron pan. Cook the patties on one side until the meat is seared and releases easily from the grill grates or pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the patties and rotate the jalapenos to get them charred on both sides. Cook until desired doneness on the beef, 3 to 4 more minutes for medium-rare to medium.
• For the toppings: Top the burgers with the cheese and transfer to a plate or sheet pan. Cover with aluminum foil for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the charred jalapenos and chop. Spread over the cheese on the burgers.
• Squeeze mustard on both the top and bottom buns if desired. Build the burgers by topping the bottom buns with the cheeseburgers, jalapenos, a pile of red onions, a pile of lettuce and the top buns. Serve.