Bistro Burgers

Shape 1 lb. ground beef into 4 burgers. For this recipe, it’s best to make them more oval shaped than round so that they fit on the bread better. Salt and pepper the burgers if desired. I love to use a Chardonnay smoked salt and Bourbon pepper with this recipe. Broil, grill, or pan fry the burgers. Slice Italian bread diagonally in half inch slices. Lightly beat 2 eggs and dip one side of each slice of bread into the egg and then into grated Parmesan cheese (you’ll need about 1/2 cup). Lightly oil a skillet (I like to use a bit of olive oil and a bit of butter) and place the bread slices coated side down in the skillet, cooking until the bread is lightly toasted. Spread Dijon mustard on the plain sides of the bread (the non-toasted side). Put a piece of bread, toasted side down, top with a burger, and then another slice of bread, toasted side up. You can add lettuce and sliced tomatoes to these burgers if you like. Variation: Combine the ground beef with minced fresh garlic and lemon pepper prior to cooking. This is also a delicious burger served open faced with the following sauce on it: mix together sour cream, Dijon mustard, and chopped green onions.