Each summer, cooks from the rocky shores of Maine to the sun-kissed beaches of Hawaii ignite their imaginations and fire up their grills to create new twists on an icon of North American cuisine: the burger.
Thousands of these cooks–both amateur and professional–compete annually in the Build a Better Burger recipe contest, a winner-takes-all national cook-off at Sutter Home Family Vineyards in idyllic Napa Valley. In this collection marking the fifteenth anniversary of the cook-off, best-selling cookbook author James McNair presents a colorful look at the contest, including each of the forty-four recipes that have won awards since BBB began. Twelve of the illustrious chefs and cookbook authors who have judged the cook-off also share their creative burger recipes. Some of the innovative and tasty burgers are:
- Caesar Salad and Flank Steak Burgers with Garlic Crostini
- Hazelnut-Crusted Lamb Burgers
- Carolina Pork Barbecue Burgers
- Green Chile Chicken Burgers with Orange-Chile Salsa and Three-Pepper Cheese Spread
- Mediterranean Tuna Burgers with Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise
To complement the recipes, Sutter Home's culinary director and executive chef, Jeffrey Starr, suggests a perfect wine match for each one and offers general tips for pairing wine with burgers. And rounding out the book are guidelines for making better burgers and writing recipes for your own award-worthy creations.Build a Better Burger is the perfect summer companion, full of recipes bound to please every backyard cook. You too will lavish praise on these prizewinners with each better burger you grill up at home.
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