MAIN DISH
CALIFORNIA BURGERS
Serve with oven-baked fries or potato salad and a dill pickle. The burgers can be grilled.
• 1 Hass avocado, halved and pitted
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 ½ pounds ground chuck
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 4 whole-grain or sourdough hard rolls, halved and lightly toasted
• 1 ripe tomato, cut into 4 thick slices
• ½ cup alfalfa sprouts or microgreens
Mash the avocado flesh with the mayonnaise and lime juice; set aside.
Handling the chuck as little as possible, shape it gently into four 1-inch-thick patties and season the patties with pepper to taste. Heat a well-seasoned, large, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pan evenly with the coarse salt and cook the patties, covered, for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Put the burgers on the bottom halves of the rolls and top them with the avocado mixture, a tomato slice and the sprouts or microgreens. Top with roll tops. Makes 4 servings.
Source:Gourmet's America (Random, 1994).
Per serving: 533 calories (44 percent from fat), 25.5 g fat (7.1 g saturated, 9.9 g monounsaturated), 114.6 mg cholesterol, 39.2 g protein, 35.3 g carbohydrates, 3.6 g fiber, 1,507 mg sodium.
