SERVES 4

Ingredients:
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced about ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), plus more for drizzling
Salt and pepper, plus 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 pounds coarse-ground sirloin
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Balsamic drizzle, store-bought, or reduce ½ cup balsamic vinegar with 3 tablespoons brown sugar over medium heat until thick and syrupy, a couple minutes
7 to 8 red leaf or red romaine lettuce leaves, shredded
4 kaiser rolls, toasted
½ cup fresh basil leaves, 8 to 10 leaves, thinly sliced

EQUIPMENT NOTE You’ll need a cooling rack to roast your tomatoes. Ask your butcher to freshly grind the sirloin on the coarse setting. If a butcher is not available, buy one pound each of ground chuck and ground sirloin and combine them.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the tomatoes on the rack, then drizzle with a touch of EVOO and

season the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 45 minutes, or until tender and caramelized. Set aside.
When the tomatoes are about ready, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO.

While the pan is heating up, combine the sirloin with some salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties thicker at the edges and thinner in the center for even cooking and to ensure you end up with a flat burger (the burgers will bulge up during cooking).

Cook the patties for 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. Cook for 12 minutes for pink centers and 14 minutes for well-done.

While the patties are cooking, place a small pot over medium heat with the butter. Add the garlic to the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Add the flour to the pan and cook for 1 minute more.

Season with salt and the coarse black pepper. Whisk the milk into the butter-flour mixture and bring up to a bubble. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the grated cheese. Prepare a balsamic drizzle in a small pot if not using store-bought.

To assemble, place some lettuce on each bun bottom and top it with a burger patty. Pour garlic–black pepper–Parmesan sauce over the top, set the roasted tomatoes in the sauce, scatter basil over the tomatoes, and garnish with balsamic drizzle.

Set the bun tops in place and serve.

sirloin burgers with garlic black pepper parmesan sauce and roasted tomatoes with basil and balsamic drizzle Recipe