Burgers: Sliders

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These burgers are under a catergory of their own because they are sliders or mini burgers!!


Whipping them up for a pool-side rendez-vous was the highlight of my day.
I made four different kinds + a couple plain with ketchup for cousin Mike....

First lets go over how to make a good burger:


Most suppermarkets now a days sell already formed sliders and buns. If they don't you could....

1. Ask if the butcher will form them for you.
2. Buy a slider maker/former.
3. Or buy normal burgers and just make your own!

Before throwing them on the fire make a little imprint with your thumb in the middle of your burger. This will insure even cooking and once it is done cooking, it will not hold the shape of your thumb for all you food stylists out there. However you will get a moist and juicy burger....well as long as you don't cook it until its gray....cooking time is of your absolute personal preference however a little reddish pinkish in the middle of a burger never hurt anyone....well as long as its good quality 

 First Mini-Man:

The Southwest One:

The Sauce:                                    Recipe:

• 2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce. Add some of the adobo sauce.
• 5 tbs. of mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. of honey
• 1 tsp. of dijion mustard
• the juice of half a lemon
• a good amout of salt and pepper

Directions:

Since the chipotles have skin you may neeed to chop it up ahead of time however I like the texture differences in which the skin gives. Blend up the peppers and adobo sauce and add in the mayonnaise. Blend together until the mayonnaise's color has changed to a pinkish reddish. Next add the honey for a little sweetness and dijion for more flavor. Add the salt and pepper and your done!! If you want it more spicy add more peppers and or adobo sauce. If you want it to be more mild add more honey.

The Toppings:

Avacado with lemon on it so it doesn't turn brown, cole slaw

The Cheese:

Cheddar or American 

Once you cooked your burger immediately put cheese on it. Next slather your mini bun with the spicy sauce and top the burger with cole slaw and a slice of avacado. Stab it with a tooth pick and eat!

For the second mini man:

The Fancy One:

For the Sauce:

A slather of you favorite dijion mustard

For the Toppings:

Thinly sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper and my family's garden fresh extra peppery arugla.

For the Cheese:

Crumbled bleu cheese

Once cooked add cheese, toppings and slather the bun with dijion mustard, push a tooth pick through it and add to the platter!

For the third mini man:

The Mortar and Pesto:

For the Sauce:                               Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups of fresh basil
• 1/2 cup of fresh sage
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic finely chopped and smashed with the back of your knife to form somewhat of a garlic paste 
• half of a lemon's zest (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Description:

                                                     This is a pesto recipe that is meant for a mortar and pestle. The herbs are not meant to be finely chopped up. Rather this is a very non-traditonal pesto because it doesn't have nuts or cheese in it. It is meant to have a more rustic feel. Note that this will not make to much pesto, because if you are making all of these sliders together than you will have a variety. If not you should probably double or triple this recipe. If you do not have a mortar and pestle you can either chop by hand,  throw it in the food processor or in the blender.

  Directions:

                                                      Smash the herbs in the mortar and pestle. You may have to do it in different batches and perhaps maybe chop it up before adding it to the mortar and pestle but that is fine because it is good to have different levels of sizes and flavor content in this pesto. Use a smashing and grinding motion to let out all of the herb's oils and natural flavor. Than add the garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper and olive oil. Taste to make sure the seasonings are all there. Mix together and press down with a spatula and you are all done.

For the Toppings:

Thinly sliced salt and pepper seasoned tomatoes.

For the Cheese:

Mozzarella cheese or american.

Add the tomatoes, pesto and burger with cheese and serve!

For the last mini-skinny man:

Now THATS A Wrap:

This burger came from a shortage of buns.

The Wrap:

I used romaine lettuce. Now I know what your thinking..."Why she'd use that?? Out of all kinds of lettuce....boston, bib, ice berg...romaine will just fall apart." Well the truth is tooth picks are magical. Therefore any of those lettuces will work. I just felt like using romaine therefore ya got to do what you feel like doing sometimes.

The Toppers:

Tomatoes with salt and pepper, arugla, avacado

The cheese: 

Bleu cheese

Lay out a piece of washed and fully dried romaine.  Lay the romaine down length wise and put in the burger and cheese and lay the avacado, tomatoes and arugla down. Just start tightly rolling the filling until it is fully wrapped together. Put a tooth pick in there and add to the platter!

Your Platter is lively!