OKlamoma's New Classic The Onion Burger

 Oklahoma is really known for its' oil fields and culinary creations like chicken fried steak. Yet there is a new classic that's equally delicious coming from The Sooner State .It's the onion burger and it's gaining in popularity.

J Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote about this yummy treat in yesterday's New York Times Food section.The recipe comes from the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Oklahoma located in the middle of the state.It was originally called "the Depression Burger" created by Homer Davis and his son Ross at the height of that era. The onion burger as it's now called has become beloved in recent years thanks to W. George Motz , author of Hamburger America and host of First WE Feast "Burger Scholar Sessions" on You Tube. He would shoot these popular patties through a chute through a kitchen window to waiting diners during the pandemic .He's just wrapped up a European tour, introducing the burger to an international crowd. What makes them so delicious. Blame it on a particular odor molecule,3-Mercapto-2-mentelpentan-1-ol or MMP. It produces an aroma like beef broth. Combine it with chopped beef and it makes the burger taste meatier. You do have to slice the onions paper thin, preferably with a mandolin to release this compound as well as thiosulfinates which also enhances the flavor.

what is the recipe? It's taking two medium yellow or white onions and ground beef.It's shaping the hamburger first  into round  well shaped patties.The onions are then put on top of the burgers, stacked like haystacks. Layer on as many as possible, the higher the better.DO NOT add salt to the onions because it will draw out any moisture. This can ruin the searing the process. Now it's time to cook them, with four burgers in each quadrant of the pan or grill. Use a neutral oil for this however cooking them in butter or a plant based butter will give it a better taste.Smash the burgers with a very sturdy spatula. Focus on the patties' edges to get that crispy finish, The middles should be slightly thicker.It's then scraping the edges off the pan and carefully flipping them onion side down.Use the spatula, tones or even  fork to tuck in any stray onion strings. Chef, Lopez-Alt recommends using King's Hawaiian rolls which have a sweet flavor..It's steaming these and then placing the burgers on top of them.. Add cheese and pickles if you want.

The Oklahoma onion burger may be the star of the summer.It's a yummy way to enjoy  burgers , enhanced with onion. Try it for a tasty change up from the usual ones.

Kentucky Derby Spins

 Today is the famed and much beloved Kentucky Derby. The event is known for racing but also for the classic foods from the Bluegrass State. As with all traditional recipes they just need some updating. They' still will be tasty but with a modern spin.

Mint julips have always been a must at the Derby and also got many through the humid Kentucky summers. Update them by turning them into slushies.It's a refreshing cocktail on a hot Spring or summer night.It's also an easy mix too. First freeze glasses for only fifteen minutes. It;s then blending ice, bourbon, mint leaves and simple syrup in a blender for about thirty seconds or until it resembles a Slurpee or Icee.  Gently slap a mint leave against your wrist to release the mint oils and place on top of the slush. You can serve with  spoons or straws. Simple syrup is an easy cook and it's great for also sweetening iced teas and lemonades too.It's just cooking up one cup of white granulated sugar with one cup of water. You don't have to wait to the water to boil. Just heat it up enough so that the sugar completely. You can add mint oil to intensify the flavor of the julip if you want. A few drops will do it.  another way to make your mint julip a cool sip is serving it in  home made ice cups. This is just filling up a regular size glass or cup with water and then placing another cup inside it . Freeze and then pour the mint julip slushie into it.

Hot brown sandwiches are a Louisville tradition having originated at the city's famed Brown Hotel. It's basically a turkey sandwich with a Mornay sauce made from eggs and  Parmesan cheese. Tomatoes are added and the whole thing is placed in the broiler.  The sandwiches are sometimes topped with bacon. It's a big sandwich, perfect for a hearty dinner or lunch. It can be streamlined by turning them into manageable sliders. Use King's Hawaiian rolls for a neat sweet taste to counteract the savory. Layer all the ingredients, turkey, tomato and bacon on the rolls. Put them in a buttered baking dish or pan and then pour the sauce over the rolls.Let stand for ten minutes covered with aluminum foil. It's then baking them for twenty minutes in a 350 degree oven for twenty minutes. Burgoo is another Kentucky classic that can have a different spin on it.  This classic stew that the settlers first ate is a mix of chicken , pork shoulder and ground beef. There's a variety of different veggies too like carrots and peas. You can easily make it and then top with a mashed potato crust. It's also a different spin on the British classic and could have been made by the English who settled Kentucky in the 1700's.

The Kentucky Derby is one one the most traditional events the US has. Yet it's time to update the foods associated with it.  There's still the classic taste but new spins for a new generation