Summer classics: Brighten up that burger with lemon, garlic
Over the next four weeks I’ll be sharing variations of four all-American summer recipes — burgers, ice cream, lemonade and pie.
Follow along, and by the time we get to the Fourth of July, your picnic will be planned.
There are lots of amazing summer foods and seasonal produce that make warm-weather Wisconsin especially wonderful: tender lettuce salads with fresh-herb buttermilk dressings, juicy, dirt-grown heirloom tomatoes in BLT sandwiches and so much fruit.
Fragrant strawberries, chin-dripping peaches, juicy watermelon — seek out the best in your area and eat as much as you can.
It won’t last long.
Combine these timely ingredients with classic fare, and you have a summer of swoon-worthy meals and desserts that you will dream of all winter long.
We begin with the classic American hamburger.
Here, we take it out on the grill and add some bright parsley, lemon zest and a hint of garlic.
A few burger tips
Choose ground meat with at least 20% fat, because fat tastes great, especially in a burger when the meat is the focus.
Be gentle, don’t squish the patties. Continue the kid-glove treatment when they hit the grill. Try to flip only once.
Salt at the last minute, just prior to grilling.