graham...crackers?

I happen to have a lot of Japanese posts to make lately, but in the interest of showing that I do not only eat Asian food, I'll post a good ol' American burger recipe today.  Actually, I'm just going to share the instructions for the onions.  If you're like me, you know how to make sandwiches and burgers.  You just need some ideas for different toppings sometimes.  Even my beloved chipotle caramelized onions get old.

bison patty with brie, quick-pickled red onion, garlic mayo, and greens on ciabatta

The onions atop Graham Elliot's Grahamburger are simple enough that I'll be making them many times in the future and flavorful enough that they stand out against a meaty burger patty.  The vinegar and oil marinade gives the onions a kick that actually makes them seem fairly fresh and bright.  The only change we'd make to this next time is to grill the top of the bun as well, a la the chargrilled lamb burger from The Breslin restaurant in NYC (no, we didn't take a trip there--I saw it on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Burgers").  The ciabatta bun was a tasty and substantial, but got a little bready on top and needed some crunch.

 

Quick-Pickled Red Onions

from Serious Eats

Follow the link above to see full burger recipe.

1 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
1 lg red onion, thinly sliced 

Mix vinegar and oil in a medium bowl and toss onion slices in the mixture.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes.  

Heat grill pan over medium until very hot. Pat marinated onions dry and grill until soft and colored, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to bowl.