Japanese Hamburger

This is based on a dish I used to have at a restaurant in Tokyo and loved! You don’t technically have to serve it in the foil parcels as I have but it does give the meat time to take up a little of the flavour of the sauce and you can get on with other things while you leave them in the oven so it’s a good prep ahead then pop it in the oven meal. This was usually served with a baked potato but I chose to have chips tonight as I was in the mood. I’ve also had the burger wrapped in bacon and served with a different sauce or may be no sauce but I can’t for the life of me remember! I’m working on it.

This is a good basic hamburger recipe too and I’m sure would make an excellent burger in a bun on its own. I love Japanese style Western food. So often they take a staple Western food and do wonderful things with it that we would never have thought to do because we’re so used to doing something particular. Although I am informed that this is similar to a Salisbury Steak in America. What I do know is it’s delicious!

I’m dying of cold at the moment so if anything doesn’t make sense here drop me a line and I’ll fix in once I am able to breathe and think again!

Makes 6

For the burger:
1 small onion, finely chopped
500g minced beef
200g sausage meat
100g breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
pepper to taste

For the sauce:
150g baby button mushrooms, sliced
red wine*
1 beef stock cube made up into stock*
3 tbsp ketchup
corn flour

– First lightly fry the onion in a little oil until soft. Allow to cool a little.
– Put everything in a bowl and mix it together with your hand.
– Divide the mixture roughly into 6.
– Gather a portion of the meat in your hand. Roll into a ball then throw the ball forcefully back and forth in your hands to force out the air and flatten it into a patty.
– Gently shape the patty to a circle and create a small hollow so the patty is thinner in the middle. (This allows you to get a flat burger as it compensates for any swelling during cooking.)
– Place the patties on a large plate or chopping board and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably about an hour.

– Melt a small knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms until just browning. Set aside.
– Sprinkle the burgers with a pinch of salt and prepare the foil sheets.
– Fry the burgers in a large frying pan or griddle. Give about 4 minutes each side. Don’t move the burger about once you’ve placed it in the pan until it’s time to turn it or it will fall apart.
– Place the burger in the centre of the sheet of foil and top with a spoonful of mushrooms.

– Deglaze the pan with red wine (tip it in and scrape off any cooked on bits).
– Add the stock and reduce until starting to thicken.
– Add the ketchup and stir in continue to reduce.
– If necessary add a little cornflour slaked in a little water to thicken the sauce. It needs to be quite viscous slow moving. (Make sure to taste the sauce as it can need a little more ketchup to cut the saltiness of the stock cube.)
– Pour a little sauce over each burger.

– Fold the foil up into a tent and fold together the edges to seal. Then fold in the sides to seal those.

– Place the parcels on a baking tray and place in the oven at around gas mark 5 for 10-15 minutes until everything is piping hot again. (If preparing ahead cook for around 30 minutes to ensure food is piping hot all through.)
– When you’re ready simply put the parcel on a plate to serve.

* I only cooked sauce for 1 tonight so I can’t speak as to actual quantities. I just poured!