ROUSES_Summer2022_Magazine.indd

PATTY MELT Makes 4 servings

MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH I think of a patty melt as a cross between a hamburger and a grilled cheese sandwich. The hamburger patty can be cooked on a griddle, grill or cast-iron skillet. The onions must be caramelized — this is a very important part of the sandwich. Rather than a hamburger bun, sliced rye bread is used. Swiss is the traditional type of cheese, but you can use cheddar, smoked Gouda, or whatever tickles your taste buds.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1½ pounds ground beef, preferably 80/20 8 slices sourdough bread 4 slices Swiss cheese 4 slices cheddar cheese

To assemble a patty melt, simply put together: Slice of rye bread Slice of cheese Hamburger patty Caramelized onions Another slice of cheese Another slice of rye bread

HOW TO PREP: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the sliced onions and stir them gently to coat with butter. Cook the onions over high heat, checking on them every 5 minutes. Stir the onions and scrape up any fond that forms on the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the onions are fully caramelized, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove onions to a bowl; set aside. Gently divide and shape the ground beef into 4 thin patties, roughly the shape of a slice of bread. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining butter to the skillet in which you cooked the onions and increase the heat to high. Place the patties in the skillet with space between them, and allow them to cook, without moving, for approximately 2 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the patties over and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, then remove the patties from the skillet and allow them to rest. Decrease the heat to medium. Place four slices of sourdough bread into the fat that remains from cooking the patties. Top each piece with a slice of Swiss cheese, then a patty, then some caramelized onions, then a slice of cheddar cheese, and cover with another slice of sourdough. Use the spatula to press down on the sandwiches, then carefully turn over each sandwich to brown the other side. Cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown and crisp on both sides. Slice the sandwiches in half before serving.

I like to spread the bread with a little mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, but you can use only yellow mustard if that’s your preference. I am particular about the caramelized onions, though, and this is the method I recommend for making them beautifully sweet and deep golden brown. I learned this from a Bon Appetit piece several years ago, and find it to be the best technique. Before you get started, these are my pro-tips: The difference between a sauté pan and a skillet is a subtle but important one, and it all comes down to shape. A sauté pan, from the French verb meaning “to jump” ( sauter ) has a wide flat bottom, and relatively tall, vertical sides. A skillet, on the other hand, has sides that flare outward at an angle. By using a large sauté pan, you have a wide base to allow the onions to cook without crowding so the liquid that is released can easily evaporate. When you cut end to end, or with the grain, you cause less damage and release fewer compounds than when you slice through the middle. Slicing through the middle, or against the grain, causes a greater disruption and leaves you with a stronger, more pungent taste. Also, remove the root end before you begin slicing. - Marcelle Bienvenu 2. Slice the onions along their natural grain. 1. Use a large sauté pan rather than a skillet.

PHOTO BY ROMNEY CARUSO

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