Hi,
When talking with Dani this past week or so on ICQ, I found out that on the East Coast, where she lives, they do a lot of eating out, and not much cooking. As the conversation unfolded, I found out that Dani hasn't cooked much at all, and decided that she should learn a few dishes in order to try and learn how to cook. In this thread, I would like to have the community pass along serious, delicious things to make.
Cooking, after all, is science. It is eatible chemistry.
So to start it off, I'll write about Brown House Burgers. This is a hamburger that my roommate Brian and I started making back in college around 1993. We enjoyed cooking, I would grill on the Webber (charcoal) and he would make something inside to go with it. Always ate well.
To make Brown House Burgers, you need about a pound and a half of lean hamburger -- want it to be 85 - 95 percent lean, but not the leanest stuff, or the burger will fall apart on the grill. You also want more than 80 or so, or the grease from the meat will start a fireball in your grill.
You want to have an egg, some Lawery's seasoning, a can of mushrooms, and a bottle of Southern Comfort (this is liquer, and if you are < 21, there is risk). You will also want a handful of potato chips. We used Baked Lays.
First, take the can of mushrooms, and put them on a chopping board. Cut them into small pieces, and place them in a mixing bowl. Take the meat and put it also in the mixing bowl. Add a sprinkle of Lawrey's, and a shot of Southern Comfort. Take the potato chips, and crush them into little pieces, and put that into the bowl as well. Crack the egg, and put that in there too.
Mix the meat and fixings together in the bowl. Have your buddy start the grill, and warm it to a medium temp. You do not need to cook everything on HI. Take the mixed meat, and pound out the hamburgers. We would make 4 large hamburgers per 1.5 lbs of meat.
Cook the hamburgers about 7 minutes a side, assuming you are on medium heat, and a standard grill. Use the cover to keep the tops warm. Just before removing the hamburgers on the 14th minute, use the spateula to squeeze down the meat, and push any extra grease wanting to leave out. Do not try to flatten the burgers, just stress them a bit to make them healthier. Cheese? Put some on the top, and cover the grill for 30 - 40 seconds for the cheese to melt.
Serve with a bun.