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Better Burgers on a Budget Chef of $5,000 burger fame talks ground round 
French chef Hubert Keller, one of the most talented restaurant chefs in the U.S. may have gained some degree of notoriety for his $5,000 hamburger special. Served at his restaurant, Fleur de Lys, in Las Vegas, the burger and fine wine combo gave new meaning to high-stakes dining. Times may be changing. Now Keller is promoting generous, indulgent, but still affordable meat in a bun. His message is that you, too, can make a delicious and memorable hamburger without breaking the piggy bank. “You don’t have to grind up a New York strip steak,” says Keller, owner of the popular Burger Bar restaurants in Las Vegas, St. Louis and San Francisco. You may think that leaner ground beef results in a better burger. You’ll pay more for lower fat ground beef, but you won’t necessarily have a better tasting burger, according to Keller. He recommends meat with 15 percent fat or more for the flavor. How you handle the meat, not its exclusivity, is the key to a quality burger according to Keller, author of the new cookbook, “Burger Bar” (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009). Shape a burger patty gently. The more you handle the ground meat, the tougher the texture. Before you cook, make sure the grill or pan is hot enough to sear the meat. And, whatever you do, never ever press down on a beef patty while it’s cooking. “You’re squeezing out the juices. It would be like grilling a filet mignon and standing on it,” says Keller. Sear the burger, then lower the temperature and finish cooking it to your preference. Finally, let the burger rest for a few minutes before you serve it. That way the juices remain in the meat, not on the plate. A burger this well tended deserves more than a plop of ketchup. The following relish recipe, adapted from the “Burger Bar” cookbook, can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Use two pounds of ground chuck or ground round to make six burgers. Serve the burgers on conventional hamburger buns or crusty ciabatta rolls and top with the relish. Spicy Red Pepper-Tomato Relish 
1 large red bell pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 3/4 pound (about 5 medium) plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon sugar or honey Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips Brush red pepper with oil and place over open flame of stovetop or on hot grill. Char on all sides. Remove pepper from heat. Place in a bowl, cover and set aside to cool. Scrape off charred skin. Remove stem and seeds. Cut pepper into small dice and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add roasted pepper, tomatoes, chile, garlic, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes soften and flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. The tomatoes should retain their shape. Stir in basil and taste for seasoning. The relish should be chunky and moist, but not saucy. Transfer relish to a container and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cover and set aside at room temperature. Makes about 3 cups; 6 servings
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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
