Chef Bill stepped away from his kitchen during this busy summer season to do a food demonstration at the San Juan County Fair last week. From all appearances, it seems the guests watching the demo thoroughly enjoyed the Lamb Burger Sliders he prepared.
There were a number of questions, one of which brought up the importance of buying local ingredients. There is a “fear” these days of cooking meat rare or medium rare, and indeed, many restaurants won’t do it, regardless of the guests’ request. The problem develops when the meat comes from unknown sources; it may be mixed with other sourced meat, and the chance of contamination is increased dramatically. So buying from a known, trusted, single source is the key to being able to enjoy your lamb burgers, or any other meat, rare.
The meat Bill uses comes from right here on San Juan Island, from animals sustainably raised by the venerable Sundstrom family. All the rest of the ingredients were also grown on the island: luscious tomatoes from Thirsty Goose Farm, fresh greens from the Harrison House Suites chef’s garden, Quail Croft goat cheese, and the buns were made fresh from scratch by Bill.
We can’t emphasize enough: when you buy local, sustainably farmed ingredients, even the simplest preparations, such as grilled burgers, reach a whole new level of taste.
But my question is, why the heck are they called “sliders?” A quick check with Ask.com and I find this: “A slider is a small sandwich, typically around 3 inches (7.6 cm across, served in a bun. The term primarily refers to small hamburgers, but can also cover any small sandwich served on a slider roll. The term, when used in reference to a small hamburger, originated with the fast food chain White Castle, which trademarked the spelling variant “Slyder” and used it between 1985 and 2009. Sliders can be served as an hors d’œuvre/appetizer, amuse-bouche, or entrée.”
So there you have it! Any other questions? Oh – you want to know how to make them? Here you go:
Lamb Burger Sliders
Makes 8 2-oz patties
1 lb Ground Lamb
2Tbsp Minced shallot
1Tbsp Minced garlic
1Tbsp Fresh phyme
1 tsp Smoked paprika
2 tsp Kosher salt
Cracked Pepper
- Mix all Ingredients and form into 8 equal patties.
For Each Slider
1 Slider bun
1 slice Heirloom tomato
2 Tbsp Soft goat cheese
3-4 Leaves Mixed greens
2 Tbsp Caramelized onion
- Grill or sauté burgers to desired temperature.
- Lightly toast buns while burgers are cooking.
- Assemble sliders and enjoy.
Our comments are open. What’s your favorite slider?