Grilled or panfried, burgers should be handled as little as possible and cooked to medium (with just a trace of pink in the center)
Serves 4
1 lb ground beef
16 saltine crackers with unsalted tops, crushed
1 small green pepper, minced
1 small red pepper, minced
1 teaspoon grated onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño chiles, shredded
4 hamburger buns with sesame seeds, split
4 lettuce leaves
1 small tomato, diced
Potato chips, pickles, and tomato wedges (optional)
Flat-leaf parsley for garnish
In medium bowl, mix ground beef, crackers, green pepper, red pepper, onion, salt, and black pepper.
Shape mixture in to 4 balls, handling as little as possible.
Make indentation in center of each ball.
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of shredded cheese in each indentation.
Shape beef mixture around cheese to enclose completely.
Flatten each ball into a 3/4 inch thick round patty.
Place burgers on grill over medium heat.
Cook burgers, turning once, 10 minutes for medium, or until desired doneness During last few minutes of cooking, top burgers with remaining shredded cheese. Place buns, cut-side down, on grill.
Cook until cheese melts and buns are lightly toasted.
To serve, arrange lettuce leaves on bottom halves of toasted buns; top with burgers Spoon diced tomato on top. Replace tops of buns.
Serve with potato chips, pickles, and tomato wedges, if you like.
Garnish with parsley.