The Unagi Burger
By: Deborah Barnett
Published: Monday, July 5, 2010 - 11:21am

Ingredients




2 pounds ground sirloin beef
1/2 cup panko
1 egg
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup fresh ginger
1/2 cup green onions sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
3/4 cup broccoli sprouts
8 pieces shaved cucumber ribbons (2 per burger)
4 whole wheat baker's rolls

Preparation

1 Wasabi Dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons wasabi paste or fresh grated wasabi cream - Mix all ingredients well. 2 Taste it and add a little wasabi paste more if you like it really spicy. This can be made ahead of time and last in the refrigerator for a week or more. I always make extra because it makes a great dip. 3 Burger patties: Mix first 7 ingredients together thoroughly… then add salt & pepper. 4 Form patties and pat together tightly. Because of the volume of ingredients in these burgers… they will fall apart easily on the grill. 5 Test one of the patties to see if it is holding up on the grill and not falling apart. These are delicate burgers to cook. Be sure to coat grill with non-stick spray. If it’s falling apart too much, try browning it in a skillet first so the outside is a little done. B careful not to brown it too much or it’ll dry out on the grill. 6 Brush sesame oil on the inside of the split baker’s roll and toast on the upper or outer edges of grill. When rolls are lightly toasted, spread wasabi sauce on top bun and add broccoli sprouts. Place meat on bottom bun and 2 cucumber ribbons on top of meat. Carefully fold together and you have The Unagi Burger!

About


This Japanese version of the burger is probably one of my favorites. It’s light and refreshing. You almost forget you’re eating a burger! Biting into a combination of fresh ginger, crisp cucumber and crunchy broccoli sprouts brings you a burst of surprising sweet and tangy goodness.