Filipino Hamburgers

Hamburger sandwiches are not native to the Philippines. That being said, hamburger joints abound everywhere and we ate burgers all the time growing up. But when it came to making burgers at home, unlike American burgers which are usually plain meat patties simply seasoned with salt and pepper, our cook would add all kinds of stuff to our burgers and boy were they good! Give this recipe a try and you’ll see what I mean.

FILIPINO HAMBURGERS

• ½ lb. lean ground beef
• ½ lb. ground pork
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
• condiments:  mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard
• toppings:  cheese, lettuce leaves, tomato, onion, pickles

1. In a bowl, combine beef, pork, onion, bread crumbs, milk, egg, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
2. Divide meat mixture into four balls and flatten into patties.
3. Grill or fry until burgers reach desired doneness.
4. Serve on toasted hamburger buns, with condiments and toppings on the side for people to build their own burgers.

NOTE:  If you want, you can make your burger patties with a pound of pure beef and leave out the ground pork. Our cook always used a mixture of half beef and half pork, but that was probably because beef was more expensive in the Philippines.

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Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Salisbury Steak is an old American dish. Contrary to its name, it’s not steak at all. It’s actually hamburger smothered with gravy. I used to make this all the time for my kids when they were little. They love it with rice or mashed potatoes. And they love it when I add mushrooms to the gravy. Fancy name notwithstanding, it’s really quite simple to prepare and makes a hearty and satisfying dinner.

SALISBURY STEAK WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

Meat Mixture:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• ⅓ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ medium onion, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper

Mushroom Gravy:

• 1 can (14.5 oz.) beef broth
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained and juice reserved
• 1½ Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in reserved juice from can of mushrooms

1. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, chopped onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until well mixed.
2. Divide beef into four balls and form into oval shaped patties.
3. In a large skillet, fry patties over medium heat until brown and cooked through.
4. Remove cooked patties from skillet.
5. To the same skillet, add beef broth, soy sauce, sliced onions, and mushrooms.
6. Bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up all brown bits from bottom of pan.
7. Reduce heat to low and pour cornstarch mixture into pan, stirring constantly until well dispersed.
8. Return beef patties to skillet and cook a little longer, stirring carefully, until gravy is thickened and patties are well-coated with sauce.
9. Transfer to a platter and serve with hot rice or mashed potatoes.

Hamburger Soup

I was watching Pioneer Woman on TV one day and saw her make this soup. I had to try it of course, and have made it several times since. It was very easy to make and I loved how it was so versatile. You could add other ingredients to it if you like. I’ve added beans, pasta, zucchini, broccoli, all sorts of things. It’s a great way to use up all the leftover veggies you have in your fridge. One time, I had some left over lasagna noodles so I cut them into short strips and tossed them in! It was great! The soup makes a big, hearty pot perfect for a large, hungry family, but feel free to cut the ingredients in half or even one- third if there are less than 4 of you sitting down to eat.

HAMBURGER SOUP

• 2½ lbs. ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 large cans (49 oz. each) beef broth
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
• 5 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Brown ground beef in a large stock pot with the onion, celery, and garlic.
2. Once the onions are translucent, drain as much oil as you can from the pot.
3. Stir in tomato paste and diced tomatoes.
4. Add beef broth, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, oregano, and parsley.
5. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until carrots and potatoes are tender.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve with a good crusty bread.