Enjoy this delicious recipe provided by Bateman Books to whet your appetite for the whole book!

Extracted from My Weekend Table: Celebrating simple food from Aotearoa and beyond, by Gretchen Lowe, photography by Gretchen Lowe, published by Bateman Books, RRP $59.99, now available

Blair’s Caramelised Onion & Cheddar Burgers

SERVES 6

This is Blair’s take on the Oklahoma burger, where he cooks beef patties piled high with onions, which has become something of a family weekend tradition. They’re so moreish, and whether we’re outside by the BBQ or inside during winter, they turn mealtime into an interactive feast. We love hosting burger nights with our friends, featuring a personalised order system, just like a burger bar.

olive oil
750g beef mince (minimum 20% fat), shaped into 6 patties
salt and pepper
2 medium brown or red onions, very thinly sliced (a mandolin or food processor works well)
6 slices Cheddar
6 brioche burger buns, sliced in half
mustard
burger sauce (store-bought or mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup American-style mustard
and 1/2 cup tomato sauce)
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 cup salad greens
pickles or jalapeños

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Swap brioche buns for gluten-free buns; burger sauce for gluten-free burger sauce.

Heat a large frying pan or BBQ plate over a medium-high heat for a few minutes. When hot, add a good drizzle of the oil. When the oil is hot, working in batches, place 2–3 patties in the pan and smash them with the base of a mug or spatula. Season patties with salt and pepper, then cover generously with onions — press them in slightly with a spatula or base of a mug as you go. It’s fine if you spill a few onions onto the hot pan. Cook for 2 minutes.

Carefully flip the burger patties. You want to scrape the pan to get everything and may need to carefully use another spoon or spatula to hold the onions onto each patty as you flip. Once flipped, press down on each patty to push the onions further into the meat.

Season the patties again and lay a slice of cheese onto each. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the cheese is melted, and the onions are cooked. Meanwhile, working quickly, add mustard, burger sauce, tomatoes, salad greens and pickles or jalapeños to the base of the buns. Place the bun tops on the cheese-topped patties and leave to steam in the onion vapours for 1 minute. Use a spatula to remove from heat. Place the patty and top bun onto the base and
serve immediately.

My Weekend Table by Gretchen Lowe is available in all good bookstores now.