Bobby's Burger Bunday: Greek Burger

Every Sunday, I'll be featuring a burger recipe from Bobby Flay's newest book, Burgers, Fries & Shakes. It's my little tribute to burgers since it's the perfect time of year to get them on the grill! The first burger recipe to kickoff Burger Bunday is Bobby's Greek Burger.

I tweaked the original recipe slightly by using pita bread instead of traditional hamburger buns. Although the recipe calls for 80/20 ground beef, I would think that the burger would work really well using ground lamb too. Overall, I really liked this recipe. I've had a craving for Greek flavors lately and this definitely satisfied those cravings!

Bobby says:

I have always loved Greek food, and a trip to Greece a few summers ago only reinforced that affection. The Greeks are doing something right with their Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil. A burger might not exactly fit into those parameters, but I can use the salty, briny, and fresh elements that they love to make this burger Greek. Flavorful kalamata olives are blended into a spread for the bun, and this combo wouldn't be Greek without some salty feta cheese and ripe tomato. You might not be as familiar with tzatziki, but this tangy blend of thick yogurt, pungent garlic, and grated fresh cucumber is a staple in Greek cuisine and is used for practically everything, from a dip for wedges of pita bread and French fries to a topping for sandwiches.

Greek Burger
recipe from Bobby Flay's Burger's Fries & Shakes

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated cucumber
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives (or a mix of olives)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Burgers:
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (80% lean) or ground turkey (90% lean)
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 pita bread, split
1/2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, chopped


Whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld.



Combine the olives, oregano, and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. The olive paste can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (or 8 equal portions if making sliders). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4 in thick patty and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers, using the oil and topping each one with crumbled feta cheese and a basting cover during the last minute of cooking.

Place the burgers inside each pita pocket, and spoon some of the yogurt sauce and olive paste over the burgers. Top with chopped tomato and more feta, if desired; and serve immediately.



Here are this week's Burger Bunday submissions from fellow bloggers. If you have a burger recipe you'd like to share from your blog and have it featured here, please send them!

Grilled French Onion Burgers
shared by Molly of The Rookie Chef

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Greek Stuffed Flank Steak

Because my husband doesn't eat beef, I don't normally buy it to prepare at home. But I've made an exception, considering my husband works evenings often, leaving me solo for dinner. So tonight's dinner was just for me to enjoy with leftovers to throw into a salad.

I really missed working with beef and flank steak is great to stuff with various ingredients for different flavors. Tonight I stuffed it with Greek flavors in mind, using roasted red peppers, feta cheese, spinach, seasoning salt, pepper and oregano. (I normally don't like red peppers but I'm trying to give them another try.)

Greek Stuffed Flank Steak
recipe adapted from Everyday Health

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
10 ounces spinach, frozen chopped, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup cheese, feta, crumbled,
2 tablespoon bread crumbs, fine, dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds beef, flank steak, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon pepper, black ground, freshly ground

Preheat oven to 425° degrees.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion. Coat onion with cooking spray, and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach and next 4 ingredients.

Place steak between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to an even thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Spread spinach mixture over beef, leaving a 1/2-inch margin around outside edges. Roll up beef, jelly-roll fashion, starting with 1 short side. Secure roll at 2-inch intervals with heavy string.

Place beef on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle beef with pepper; coat with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°. Bake 25 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove string, and cut beef into 6 slices.

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