Mini Burgers with Waffled White Bread
Makes 4 Appetizer Servings (So double this recipe for 6 to 8 Servings)
- 3 pieces sliced white bread, crusts removed
- 9 ounces ground beef, or ground meat or seafood of your choice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus 12 sprigs, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 thin slices Cheddar cheese, about 2 inches square
Preheat an electric nonstick waffle iron to medium. Place a slice of trimmed bread in the center of the hot iron and press down hard to toast and perforate the bread for 1 minute, or until the waffle design has browned itself onto the bread. When toasted, cut each slice into square pieces about 1 inch by 1 inch. You should have enough bread for 12 mini-burgers.
In a medium bowl, combine the beef, salt, and chopped parsley, and mix well with your hands. Remove a heaping tablespoon of the mixture—a little less than 1 ounce—and roll it into a ball. Flatten it slightly into a patty no thicker than 1 inch. Repeat until you have made 12 mini-burgers.
Warm a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Slick the skillet with the olive oil. (Alternatively, if you’re using a grill, cook the mini-burgers on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil perforated several times with a fork to allow the juices to drip away.) Cook the beef burgers (see below for other meats and doneness), no longer than 1 minute per side for medium-rare, topping with the optional cheese as soon as you flip. Serve each burger between 2 slices of waffled bread, with a sprig of parsley on top.
Cooking Times:
Ground Beef: 1 minute per side for medium-rare
Ground Chicken and Ground Turkey: 2 minutes per side, or until opaque inside
Ground Buffalo: 1 minute per side for medium-rare
Minced Salmon and Shrimp: 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until just opaque inside