GREEK STYLE HAMBURGER RECIPE
As you may be aware, my mother has significantly shaped my dietary preferences and tastes, much like most mothers do, correct? She is quite devoted to Greek cuisine, and we predominantly consumed Greek dishes at home.
Occasionally, she would prepare what she referred to as 'American' food. On one such occasion, she made 'hamburgers.' For Greeks, a piece of ground beef grilled without any additional ingredients is often deemed tasteless.
'The beef must have herbs and spices incorporated; otherwise, what is the purpose?' she would assert (and continues to do so). My mother could never grasp the concept of a hamburger: cooking a plain piece of meat and then slathering it with ketchup, mustard, and various other condiments. Why not simply incorporate flavors into the meat before cooking it?
To summarize, my mother would prepare hamburgers, but in reality, they were Greek patties that she would place in a hamburger bun, accompanied by a bottle of ketchup and mustard on the table.
Years later, I have come to value a delicious, juicy American burger, but I also recognized that those Greek patties did not require any condiments, nor did they need to be masqueraded as hamburgers; all they needed was a squeeze of lemon, as they were inherently flavorful.
Greek Burgers and Health
These Greek burgers are known as biftekia; they can be grilled or pan-fried. The meat is combined with a variety of herbs, primarily, and includes a small amount of egg and breadcrumbs, resulting in a very flavorful piece of meat.
The oregano and other herbs added are all excellent sources of antioxidants, providing a nutritional boost to your patty. They also help lower the levels of heterocyclic amines (HCAs), compounds that form when meat is cooked at high temperatures and have been linked to certain types of cancer. By utilizing dry herbs such as oregano and mint on the meat, you can diminish the levels of these harmful compounds.
This recipe is quite simple, and I utilized my cast iron grill pan. The results were both delicious and juicy, and we complemented them with a straightforward tomato salad. Other traditional pairings consist of boiled horta (greens) and tzatziki (a Greek garlic yogurt dip) or any variety of greens or salads. Ensure that you allow the meat to rest for a minimum of one hour to allow all the flavors to blend.
Greek Style Hamburger Ingredients:
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound of lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped greek olives
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 package of hamburger rolls or pita bread
- 1 (16 ounce) container low-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (more or less to suit your taste)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (more or less to suit your taste)
- 1 clove of garlic minced (add more or less to suit your taste)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and finely diced cucumber
Prepare the sauce for your burgers first and put in the fridge until your burgers are done.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine your olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Now add in your yogurt making sure that you mix it well with the olive oil.
3. Add your garlic, cucumbers, parsley and mint leaves and stir well.
Burger Directions:
1. In a spacious skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Incorporate the diced red onions and sauté until they become tender, which should take approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to a large mixing bowl and let them cool down.
2. In the same mixing bowl, introduce your finest ground beef, feta cheese, olives, oregano, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
3. Shape the hamburger patties to your preferred thickness.
4. Cook your burgers in the same skillet used for the onions, or grill them to your desired level of doneness.
5. Apply the prepared sauce onto the rolls or within a pita.
The finest ground beef recipe is now complete...enjoy!
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