Barcelona Burgers

Another Food Network Magazine recipe tonight. Although it did not say it, the recipe screams Rachael Ray. I would bet money it was hers.

Barcelona Burgers have a Spanish theme. There is a delicious spread on the bread (definitely a take on the Spanish romesco sauce), and the burger itself had good flavor. I served the burger with Spanish style rice, (used the packaged kind instead of making my own…shocking, I know!) and corn. (One other note…the recipe said to use olive bread, which I love. However, to cut the points down, I used Arnold’s Multigrain Sandwich Thins. Only complaint is that the Thins are much larger than a normal burger!)

Start by making the spread for the bread:

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a pan.
Add about 4 cloves of smashed garlic and 1 piece of bread (no crust!) ripped into pieces. (I used 1 Arnold’s Multigrain Sandwich Thin.)
Saute until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup sliced almonds.
Cook about 3 more minutes. (Be careful not to burn the almonds!)
Combine the contents of the pan with 2 more tablespoons EVOO, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Pulse until chunky.

Next, make the burgers:

Combine 1 pound ground beef chuck with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. (The recipe called for 1 teaspoon salt. I went against better judgement and listened. I thought the burgers were too salty, so I would recommend using only 1/2.)
Grate in 2 shallots.
Form the meat into 4 patties.
Heat a little EVOO in a pan.
Cook burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side.
With about 3 minutes left of cooking time, top each burger with a slice of Spanish cheese. (The recipe called for manchego, but it was pretty pricey so I went with mahon.)