Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 (46 page)

BOOK: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2

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3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon instant tomato soup
mix (Knorr tomato with basil
works great)
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼
teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Store in a covered container.

• MAKES ⅓ CUP.

RED ROBIN 5 ALARM BURGER

MENU DESCRIPTION:
“Crank up the heat with Pepper-Jack cheese, jalapenos, fresh tangy salsa, sliced tomato, crisp lettuce and chipotle mayo.”

According to Red Robin waiters, this spicy production is the second most popular choice from a list of 22 delicious designer burgers on the menu. If you like a peppery punch from your chow, this is the burger recipe to add to your grill-time repertoire. The hamburger patties on Red Robin burgers are huge, weighing in at ⅓ of a pound each, so get out your kitchen scale if you want a good clone. The restaurant chain uses its secret spice blend to season the patty, so whip that up first from the clone recipe on page 342 (or you can substitute seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s). Fresh salsa or pico de gallo can usually be found in the deli section at the supermarket, and ground chipotle chile pepper (smoked red jalapenos) can be found next to the chili powder in the spice aisle. It’s good stuff to have on hand in your spice cabinet since it’s becoming a more popular ingredient these days.

CHIPOTLE MAYO
¼
cup mayonnaise
¼
teaspoon ground chipotle chile
pepper
⅛
teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon (approx.) Red Robin
Seasoning clone (on page
342)
2 slices pepper jock cheese
1 sesame seed hamburger bun

I 5.5-ounce ground beef patty

4 to 6 bottled jalapeno slices
(nacho slices)
2 tablespoons fresh salsa or pico
de gallo
cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1. Make the chipotle mayo spread by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill until you are ready to use it.

2. Preheat barbecue or indoor grill to medium heat.

3. Since the ground beef will shrink as it cooks, shape it into a round patty that is slightly larger than the sesame seed bun. Sprinkle a bit of the seasoning blend over both sides of the patty. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until the patty is cooked the way you like it. About 1 minute before the burger is done place a couple slices of pepper Jack cheese on top of the patty to melt.

4. As the hamburger is grilling toast the face of the top and bottom sesame seed bun on an indoor griddle or skillet over medium heat.

5. Build your burger by first spreading approximately 2 teaspoons of the chipotle mayo on each of the toasted faces of the top and bottom bun.

6. Stack the hamburger patty on the bottom bun.

7. Stack 4 to 6 jalapeno slices on the patty.

8. Spoon 2 tablespoons of salsa or pico de gallo over the jalapeno slices.

9. Add about ⅓ cup of shredded lettuce on next, then finish the burger off with the top bun.

• MAKES 1 BURGER.

RED ROBIN
BANZAI BURGER

MENU DESCRIPTION:
“Marinated in teriyaki and topped with grilled pineapple, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and
mayo,
Dude, you’ll be like, ready to ride the pipeline on 0’ahu’s North Shore after you chomp on this!”

Here’s customer choice number one from Red Robin’s huge burger menu. According to Red Robin servers, the beef they use for all their burgers is ground from Angus flank steak. That meat makes for a great burger to be sure, but it’s tough to find in the market unless you grind your own. So if you’re not up for some good old-fashioned meat-grinding fun, just pick up ground chuck for this recipe. If you can’t find chuck, sirloin will have to do. Just make sure the fat content is at least 15 percent, since low-fat ground beef makes burgers that are just too dry and short on flavor. I tested a half-dozen popular teriyaki glazes in the stores and nothing comes close to the stuff they use at the restaurant, so I’ve included a recipe here to make your own. Be sure to watch your marinated meat and pineapple slices closely on the grill since the sugar in the teriyaki marinade could burn over the open flame. If you’re grilling outside, keep the lid open. And don’t hit the La-Z-Boy until this puppy’s done.

TERIYAKI MARINADE
1
¾
cups water
I cup soy sauce
I cup light brown sugar
½
teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic
powder

1 5.5-ounce ground beef patty
2 canned pineapple slices
2 slices Cheddar cheese
I sesame seed hamburger bun
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
2 tomato slices
cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1. Make teriyaki marinade by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium/high heat. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cover and chill marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2. Form your ground beef into a round patty that is slightly larger in diameter than the sesame seed bun. Pour a little of the teriyaki glaze into a plastic container with a lid (such as Tupperware), then carefully drop in your patty. Add enough teriyaki glaze to cover the patty, then seal up the container and pop it into the fridge for at least 4 hours, but no more than 12 hours. Put the two pineapple slices into another container with a lid, add the remaining teriyaki glaze, cover it and chill the pineapple in the refrigerator for the same time as the burger.

3. When you are ready to make your hamburger, preheat barbecue or indoor grill to medium heat.

4. Start grilling the hamburger patty first. Cook it for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until it reaches your desired doneness. When you flip the burger add the pineapple slices to the grill. The pineapple will take about half as long to cook as the burger. You’ll know the pineapple slices are done when they have some nice grill marks on each side. Be careful not to burn the burger or the pineapple. The teriyaki contains sugar, which may char if grilled too long. About 1 minute before the burger is done place 2 slices of Cheddar cheese on top of the patty to melt.