This is the “house” burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace. It’s a basic burger (I like it garnished with red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, and horseradish mustard) with CRUNCH. The crunch factor comes from a big handful of potato chips layered between the burger and the bun. Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I’m here to say that you’re not! Oozing melted cheese becomes a part of the chips and those crunchy chips become a part of the burger–delicious. I love getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite; it’s a way to get a true contrast of textures into your cheeseburger. In fact, I make it an option to have all of the burgers at Bobby’s Burger Palace “crunchified.”

You would typically find this sauce served alongside a thick cut of prime rib. The blend of mellow mayonnaise, pungent horseradish, and sharp Dijon mustard complements steak so well that it is no surprise that it does the same for a beef burger. A rich salmon burger would also take beautifully to the sauce. For a touch of extra flavor and color, try adding a few tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs such as chives, dill, or tarragon.

Ingredients
Crunch burger

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean) or ground
• turkey (90 percent lean)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 8 slices American cheese, each 1/4 inch thick
• 4 potato hamburger buns, split; toasted
• 4 slices beefsteak tomato (optional)
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce (optional)
• 4 slices red onion (optional)

Horseradish mustard mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1 Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.

2 Cook the burgers using oil. Top each one with 2 slices of cheese and cover during the last minute of cooking.

3 Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and, if desired, top with tomato, lettuce, onion and a dollop of horseradish mustard mayonnaise. Pile on the potato chips, top with the bun tops and serve immediately.

4 To make the mayonnaise: Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The sauce can be prepared 1 day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.

Burgers serves 4. Mayonnaise makes 1/2 cup.

---

BUY THIS BOOK
Excerpted from Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson Copyright © 2009 by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Bany. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.