Banh Mi Burgers

These burgers are inspired by the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich which normally has grilled or roasted chicken or pork. They are refreshing and oh so tasty! They make for a light yet hearty dinner, I like to make them and store the uncooked patties in the freezer for nights I don't want to do much work. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the burger:

• 1 pound of ground beef

• ½ yellow onion finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• Zest of one lime

• Kosher salt and pepper

• ½ to ¾ cup unseasoned bread crumbs

• 1 egg

• Sesame oil

For the pickled veggies:

• 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks

• 1 cucumber or 2-3 mini cucumbers thinly sliced

• 1 red onion, sliced

• 2 cups whit vinegar

• 1 cup red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes/aleppo pepper

• 2 tablespoons sugar

For burger assembly:

• Finished burger patty (cooked)

• Pickled veggies

• Cilantro

• Sriracha mayo

• Bun of choice (brioche and potato work great)

Directions:

1. Start with the pickled veggies so they can cool while you cook the burger. I like to do the onions separate from the cucumbers and carrots. Get two small pots and divide all of the ingredients (vinegar, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, sugar) in half, half in one pot and the other half in the other pot.

2. Begin heating the vinegar mixtures on low heat, while they heat up, chop up the carrots, cucumbers and onion.

3. Then add the veggies into their respective pots, cook them for about ten minutes.

4. Once done then pour into two separate jars (onions in one, carrots and cucumbers in another). Place in the fridge to cool.

5. Next, chop up your yellow onion and garlic for the burgers, heat some sesame oil (olive oil will work too) and add the onion and garlic to the pan, cook until fragrant.

6. In a bowl add the burger, cooked onion and garlic, fish sauce, bread crumbs, lime zest, salt and pepper and egg. Mix thoroughly, and form burger patties (you should get around 8-10 medium sized patties)

7. Next heat some oil in a pan and cook the burger covered for about 5 minutes on each side.

8. Now turn on your oven broiler, cut the buns in half and brush the inside of the buns with the oil from the burger pan, place on a cookie sheet oil side up and allow to toast in the broiler for 1-2 minutes.

9. Next assemble the burgers, put sriracha mayo on the bottom bun, then a burger patty, then more sriracha mayo and layer your pickled veggies and cilantro, and top with the bun.

10. Serve with potato chips or fried potatoes and enjoy!