Freshly grilled burgers are a Canadian classic. Here is a trio of burger recipes from The ACE Bakery Cookbook that take a twist on the traditional, yet offer up delicious taste and innovative flavours. Author Linda Haynes, co-owner of ACE Bakery, suggests: "Surprise your guests with something different this year: substitute lamb, chicken or pork for the traditional beef burger and garnish with internationally inspired condiments. Always start with freshly ground meat and, if you're using charcoal briquettes, sprinkle in wood chips for a delicious, smoky flavour." (Soaking wood chips in water for an hour will help them last longer).

Best of all, preparing the burger patties and condiments ahead of time means that you can enjoy the day with your guests. While you heat up the grill, cool down your guests with refreshing iced green tea spiked with fresh lime and mint. Serve the burgers on buns or open-faced on a thick slice of grilled bread.

Iced Green Tea with Lime and Mint
Makes 4 cups (950 mL)

1 cup (240 mL) water
½ cup (120 mL) sugar
4 cups (950 mL) strong green tea
1 lime
fresh mint to garnish

In a saucepan, bring the water and the sugar to a boil. Cool. Make 4 cups of strong green tea. Cool in the refrigerator. Slice the lime in half around the middle. Slice one of the halves in slices. Juice the other half.

Pour the tea into 2 or 3 glasses. Then pour 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of sugar syrup into each glass. Add ¼ tsp. (1.2 mL) of lime juice. Taste. Stir and add more of the sugar syrup and lime if you wish. Add one or two ice cubes to each glass -- just enough to keep the tea chilled, but not enough to dilute the flavour. Garnish each glass with a lime slice and a sprig of mint.

COOK'S TIP: Do not be tempted to steep the green tea leaves longer than you would normally and add ice. The drink will take on a bitter taste. Instead, add more green tea and steep it for the normal length of time. The extra sugar syrup will keep for weeks refrigerated.

Indian-Style Chicken Burger with Chutney and Raita*
Makes 3 regular-sized burgers or 6 mini-burgers

1 lb. (455 g) minced chicken
1 large clove garlic, very finely minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) curry powder
up to 1 cup (240 mL) fine, dry breadcrumbs made from white or Calabrese bread
¾ tsp. (4 mL) kosher salt
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) freshly ground white or black pepper

Toppings
¼ cup (60 mL) mango chutney
l large handful of mixed greens (avoid stronger flavoured greens such as arugula as they will overpower the chicken)
3 burger rolls, or 6 small dinner rolls, or 3 thick slices white, country white, Calabrese, or ciabatta bread
Raita (see below)

Place the minced chicken in a bowl. Add the garlic, egg, curry powder, ½ cup (120 mL) of breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper. Mix together. The chicken should be quite moist and just loosely bound. Add more breadcrumbs if necessary.

Shape into 3 patties or 6 mini-patties. They will feel sticky and be more delicate than minced beef. Make a small indentation about the size of a quarter in the middle of each burger to ensure a flat cooked burger, not one that all your condiments will slide off.

Brush the patties with vegetable oil and grill the large ones for approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through. The mini-patties will take approximately 3 ½ to 4 minutes per side.

Assembly
Toast or heat the burger buns. Spread the chutney on the bottom part of the bun. Place the greens on the chutney. Put the hot burger on the lettuces. Spoon the raita over the chicken and top with the other half of the bun. If using bread, lightly grill or toast the bread and build the open-faced sandwich on a single slice, in the same way.

*Raita
1 cup (240 mL) 2% or 4% yogurt
1 tsp. (5 mL) ground cumin
1 5-inch (12.5-cm) piece English cucumber, seeded and coarsely grated
1 small tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1 to 2 tsp. (5 to 10 mL) minced fresh mint (optional)
2 grinds of white pepper

If you have time, drain the yogurt for up to 1 hour, to thicken. Lightly toast the cumin in a dry frying pan at medium high for about 30 seconds. Pat the grated cucumber dry with a paper towel. Add the cucumber, tomato, mint (if using), and white pepper to the yogurt and mix. Keep cool until serving time.

COOK'S TIP: The raita can be made the day before and held in the refrigerator, but you may have to drain off some liquid. The burgers can also be made beforehand, but bring them to room temperature before cooking.

Greek Lamb Burger with Eggplant and Spinach
Makes 4 burgers

Lamb, roasted garlic, and spices combine to make a great burger. The grilled eggplant adds a low-fat creaminess.

1 ¼ lb. (455 g) minced lamb
4 to 5 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
½ heaping tsp. (2.5 mL) ground cinnamon
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) ground allspice
1 heaping Tbsp. (15 mL) minced fresh oregano
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 Tbsp. (30 to 45 mL) fresh breadcrumbs made from white or Calabrese bread
4 burger buns, or 4 thick slices white, country white, or olive bread
Mayonnaise, to taste
1 Japanese eggplant, sliced in coins, brushed with olive oil and grilled
8 to 12 leaves baby spinach, cleaned and drained
1 large ripe tomato

Mix the lamb, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, and oregano in a bowl. Add the egg to the meat mixture, using either a fork or your hands. Add salt and pepper to taste and enough breadcrumbs to bind the mixture.

Form 4 patties. Make a small indentation about the size of a quarter in the centre of each patty, to ensure a flat cooked surface for condiments. Grill the burgers and cut the buns. (The buns can also be toasted.)

Assembly
Spread as much mayonnaise as you like on the bottom half of each bun, top with the grilled eggplant, then the burger. Finish with the spinach, a slice of tomato, and the top half of the bun. If serving open-faced, lightly grill or toast the bread and build the sandwich on a single slice as described above. The uncooked burgers and the cooked eggplant can be prepared up to a day ahead. Warm the eggplant before serving.

Swedish Pork Burger with Onions and Apple Sauté
Makes 4 large burgers

1 ½ lbs. (700 g) minced pork
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) kosher salt
¼ tsp. (1.2 mL) freshly ground white pepper
2 tsp. (10 mL) grated fresh ginger
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) finely minced garlic
¼ heaping tsp. (1.2 mL) fresh thyme or a large pinch of dried thyme
¼ to ½ cup (60 to 120 mL) coarse fresh breadcrumbs made from white or Calabrese bread
4 burger buns, sliced, or 4 thick slices Calabrese, country white bread, or focaccia

Toppings
honey mustard
baby frisée
Onion and Apple Sauté (see below)

Put the minced meat in a bowl. Add all the ingredients except the breadcrumbs. Mix together lightly with your hands. Then sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the mixture and mix in. The mixture should just hold together. Divide the mixture into 4 patties, with a ½-inch (.6-cm) indentation in the top of each burger to ensure a flat top for condiments. Chill the patties until half an hour before cooking.

Assembly
Barbecue the burgers. Pork is safe served slightly pink. Grill or toast the buns. Remove the burgers and buns from the grill. Spread the honey mustard on the bottom half of each bun, top with the frisée or lettuce of your choice, and then add the burger and some of the Onion and Apple Sauté. Top with the other side of the bun. If serving open-faced, lightly grill or toast the bread and build the sandwich on a single slice, as described above.

Onion and Apple Sauté
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut in ¼-inch (.6 cm) slices
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) unsalted butter
3 medium cooking onions, thinly sliced

Put the apple slices in a bowl of cold water with 2 tsp. (10 mL) of lemon juice to prevent browning. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Sauté, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and start to go dark golden. Drain and pat the apples dry. Add to the frying pan and sauté until golden but not falling apart. Reserve.

COOK'S TIP: If you don't have time to make the onion and apple garnish, you may want to add more ginger, garlic, and thyme to the pork mixture.

For more information, contact ACE Bakery, 416/241-3600, bread@acebakery.com.


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