BURGERS!!!!

It is summer, although it doesn’t seem that way in certain areas, what with rain and snow in June in California this year.  But IT IS still June.

So that means firing up the grill and putting fantastic cuts of meat on the open flame.  Just like man has done for centuries.  And one of my favorite, and my friends favorites is BURGERS!

It is the perfect/party food.  You can hold a burger in one hand and not have to put down your cocktail (it is a hot summer day after all).

Well here is my burger entry in the Los Angeles Times Food section Burger Battle.  If you are on Facebook, please look me up and if you find that you want me to make one, vote for the P5 burger.  It has pork 5 different ways in it.  Yes, all Pork all the time!

The inspiration for this was the Cochon555 festival.  If you have never heard of it, you are missing one of the greatest food events on the planet.  So much so, that this burger is my homage to this celebration of PORK!

I have many different “famous” burgers that my friends force me to make.  I started stuffing cheese in my burgers years ago, to great accolades.  I find a burger is all about what is BETWEEN the buns.  Not all the fancy toppings and sauces.  Start with great meat, and season it well, and you will have a fantastic burger.  No Problemo!

So my P5 burger starts with Ground Pork, Some really good double smoked hickory black pepper Bacon, Pork Italian Sausage and Thyme Pork Sausage.  I then wrap it a thick cut of Prosciutto.  The real imported Italian stuff that is freshly cut the day of cooking.  Then you need a good cheese.  Because good cheese does make a great burger, well fricking fantastic! So with the help of my local friends at the Cheese Store of Silverlake, they helped me pick a cow/sheep French Basque cheese called Pilota.  And it is HEAVENLY.  When melted onto of the orgy of Pork it becomes almost other worldly….

And then because you do want a little something something to go on top, I grilled a nice sweet onion with a little Olive Oil, and a smattering of a spicy tomato compote.  And this makes one of the greatest things you will ever have in burger form….

Oh ya, and make sure you go to Facebook and vote in the next week.  It will be greatly appreciated.  I am working on trying to open the OTC kitchen to all!  So a good showing here will allow me to bring my burgers to the masses!  Stay tuned for more burger recipes!

And by the way, I am on the 9th page of entries, under the P5 Burger!  Get out the votes!!