China Moon Cafe Wonton Burgers
Submitted by mark789
Ground pork burgers loaded with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, chile oil, and fresh cilantro, seared in a screaming hot skillet. Inspired by San Francisco’s China Moon Cafe, served on crusty baguette with sharp Dijon mustard.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsBarbara Tropp’s China Moon Cafe in San Francisco changed the way people thought about Chinese-American cooking, and these wonton burgers capture that spirit in a single, glorious handful.
Coarsely ground pork shoulder gets loaded with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, and chile oil, then formed into rectangular patties sized to fit a crusty baguette.
Sear them hard and fast in a ripping hot skillet until the outside is deeply caramelized while the inside stays juicy.
Slap them onto baguette slathered with Dijon mustard and you’ve got a fusion burger that’s as bold as anything coming off a grill.
Pro Tips
- Mix the meat gently and in one direction only. Overworking it makes the burgers dense and rubbery instead of tender.
- Shape the patties into rectangles, not circles, so they fit the baguette without hanging over the edges.
- Make the mixture the night before if you can. The flavors get deeper and more complex after a night in the fridge.
- Get the skillet seriously hot before the patties go in. You want a hard sear, not a steam.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the green onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, salt, pepper, chile oil, and stock and mix well.
Add the pork and stir in one direction with your hands or a large spoon just until the mixture can be thoroughly blended.
Do not overcook the meat.
(At this point the mixture can be sealed airtight and refrigerated overnight. The flavors will actually enlarge. Bring to room temperture before cooking.)
Handling the meat mixture as little as possible to avoid compacting it, divide it into 8 equal portions and form the portions into rectangles to firm the bread.
Brush a heavy skillet with a film of oil. Remember that the pork will render some of its own fat, so you’ll need only minimal oil for cooking.
Place the pan over high heat and heat it as hot as possible.
Add the patties and sear, turning once, until well browned on both sides.
Reduce the heat and cook until done to your preference.
Cut the French bread lengthwise and spread the cut surfaces of the baguette portions with mustard and enclose the patties inside.
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