This post is part of a fantastic burger grill giveaway hosted by Girl Carnivore, where we all try to outdo each other to produce the best burger imaginable . . .but the burger you’re about to see is all my own.
Play along and maybe you’ll win a big grilling package! (I strategically put the contest info below my post so you’ll have to at least LOOK at my burger to get to the good stuff.)
Produce a grilled masterpiece this summer with this lavender-and-garlic-infused burger. Savory garlic blends with the delicate taste and fragrance of French lavender, creating an experience that will entertain your taste buds without crashing the party. As pungent as the infusion may seem while it’s cooking, the resulting flavor—once blended with the beef—is mellow. Complex. Slightly obscure. Oh, you’re gonna love this!
I added cheese and garlic to the burger buns, too, because there is no such thing as too much garlic! The buns are easy to make, and a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, with bits of crispy cheese poking out of the rich golden crust.
Cabot Cheese sent participants a generous assortment of cheeses, and I made good use of each amazing variety. Choose your favorite flavor, of course, but I liked using a Colby Jack on the burger itself, sharp cheddar in the buns, and a sprinkling of spicy “Fiery Jack” on top of the bun as it baked.
| Bouquet Burger | Print |
- CHEESY GARLIC BUNS:
- 1 cup very warm water
- 1 package active-dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk powder (whole milk powder if possible)
- ¼ cup oil (light olive, canola, peanut)
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped and sauteed briefly in a small amount of olive oil
- 1 cup grated cheese - more if you'd like. (I used sharp cheddar and Parmesan)
- BUN BATH:
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 egg
- ½ cup grated cheese (I used Cabot's Fiery Jack) to sprinkle on buns before baking
- BURGERS:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons culinary lavender
- ½ cup undiluted canned consommé
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2½ pounds burger (I used Angus, 80% lean)
- In a large bowl (a sturdy stand mixer with dough hook is recommended) combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow mixture to sit until foamy - about 5 minutes.
- Add egg, milk powder, and oil. Mix well.
- Add flour and salt. Mix until combined. Knead by machine for 5-6 minutes (if kneading by hand, turn out onto floured surface and knead for 7-8 minutes.)
- Knead in 1 cup grated cheese and the sauteed garlic. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat the dough. Cover and let rise until doubled - about 1 hour.
- Cover two large baking sheets with parchment (or lightly grease them).
- Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces, forming each piece into a smooth ball.
- Place 4 balls onto each baking sheet and press to flatten each into a 4-inch circle, using your hand or the back of a salad plate. Cover lightly with a dish towel and allow the buns to rise until puffy - about 40 minutes.
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- For a rich brown crust, place the baking soda, water, and egg into a small bowl and whisk or beat until foamy. Lift each bun gently and drop, top down, in the bowl. Press on one side as you lift on the opposite side to remove the bun. Place carefully back on the baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake until brown - approximately 14 minutes. Cool on rack.
- BURGERS:
- In a small pan on medium low heat, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chopped garlic. Cook gently on medium-low for 5 minutes. Don't let the garlic get brown - reduce heat if necessary. Add lavender and consommé and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off heat and cover the pan. Let it sit for 1 hour. Strain into a medium bowl, pressing mixture with the back of a spoon. Discard the garlic and lavender. (Or if you want to go for the gusto, add some of it to your burger mixture.)
- Stir 1 teaspoon brown sugar into the broth. Add meat and mix well. Mix in salt and pepper if desired.
- Cover and place bowl in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Press burger into 6 patties and grill to desired doneness, adding cheese at the end.
- Add your favorite veggies and condiments and serve with the cheesy garlic buns.
When dough meets garlic and cheese.
Cut into equal pieces (yes, yes, I use a kitchen scale. I can’t help it) and form balls.
Once the buns have risen and are puffy, whisk together the baking soda, water, and egg.
Dip. Be careful – don’t squeeeeze!
Sprinkle dipped buns with cheese and pop them in the oven, one baking sheet at a time.
Cook garlic gently in oil. Add lavender and broth.
So much flavor going into that burger!
Strain the broth into a bowl and add brown sugar.
Stir in the meat, make 6 patties, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Grill the burgers and top with cheese if desired. Grill those buns, too, but watch them; they go fast! Add your favorite veggies and condiments.
Look at all of these participants! I hope you’ll give them a visit. The calendar is full of upcoming burger posts, so between now and the end of the month you’ll see something from each and every one of these creative people:
Girl Carnivore A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures A Simple Pantry Abra’s Kitchen AcadiaTwo’s Kitchen Antics An Affair from the Heart Bakersbeans Betsi’s World Caroline’s Cooking Cindy’s Recipes and Writings City Living Boston Cluttercafe Cooking With Carlee Convos with Karen Daily Dish Recipes Dance Around The Kitchen Dixie Chik Cooks Dizzy Busy and Hungry Doodlecraft Everyday Eileen Family Around the Table Family Food on the Table Family Spice Farmwife Feeds Food Above Gold For the Love of Food Grillax.com Grilling Montana Grumpy’s Honeybunch Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks Honeybunch Hunts HORNS BBQ Intelligent Domestications It Is a Keeper Jolene’s Recipe Journal Jonesin For Taste Juggling Act Mama Karen’s Kitchen Stories Kate’s Recipe Box Krazy Kitchen Mom Life Anchored Life of a Ginger Mildly Meandering Miss in the KItchen Palatable Pastime Pastry Chef Online Perspective Portions Plowing Through Life PNW Eats Pook’s Pantry Real Life With Dad Sarah’s Cucina Bella Seduction In The Kitchen Simple and Savory Souffle Bombay Spiced Spoonabilities Strawberry Blondie Kitchen SueBee Homemaker Sumptuous Spoonfuls Sweet ReciPeas Swirls of Flavor Take Two Tapas Tampa Cake Girl Taste And See The Baking Fairy The Beard and The Baker The Complete Savorist The Crumby Kitchen The Heritage Cookbook Project The Keto Guy The Redhead Baker The Rowdy Baker The Schmidty Wife The Shirley Journey The Spiffy Cookie This Farm Girl Cooks Thyme for Cocktails We are not Martha Well Fed Baker West Via Midwest What’s Cooking Italian Style Cuisine Who Needs A Cape? Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen Wok & Skillet Zest & Simmer
Check out Burgermonth.com to see the daily orgy of burger creations (just scroll way down), then enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win the Ultimate Burger Grilling Giveaway! Here’s a peek at the goodies:
I’d like to offer a great big thank you (mwah!) to the #BurgerMonth sponsors for the Ultimate Burger Grilling Giveaway: Cabot Cheese, Char-Griller Grills, Crow Canyon Home, Porter Road, Melissas Produce, Red Duck, Spiceology, & Western BBQ. You made this so exciting!