Beetroot & Beef Hamburger with Quick Garic-Lemon Aïoli

Last weekend, I went to Chef du Jour’s Final Challenge at Fenn’s Quay where Sarah O’Riordan’s menu had Beef & Beetroot Slider as the amuse bouche. I love beetroot so this was a match made in heaven. A couple weeks later, I try to make it in my kitchen. It worked out well!

The most important thing to remember when making these is to use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the burgers because they will be pink from the beetroot so sight is not a good indicator of cookedness.

Aïoli
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Dash of salt and pepper, to taste

Burger
1 pound of low-fat ground beef
1/2 pound of roast beetroot, shredded (no vinegar)
Dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil

1.  In a container with a lid, stir together the Aïoli ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for up to four days. It is ready to use straight from the container (use a clean spoon).

2. In a grill pan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Wash hands before handling the meat. In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the shredded roast beetroot, salt and pepper. Form into burgers patties, about ¾ inch thick. Wash hands after handling the meat. Transfer the burgers using a spatula to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Check each burger with a meat thermometer after 10-15 minutes, turning the patties as needed. When each hamburger’s internal temperature reaches 160F/71C, it is done. Clean the thermometer between uses with hot, soapy water.

3. Once cooked to 160F, place the burgers on ciabatta buns and top with homemade Aïoli as well as a dollop of shredded roast beetroot. Or you can skip the buns and serve it on a drizzle of the Aïoli mayonnaise.

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