Two years ago today, M and I quit our jobs and went on a wild, across the globe, adventure (you can read a recap here). It is hard to believe that much time has passed, it seems like last month we were walking barefoot on the most beautiful beaches and enjoying the warm heat on our skin. Alas we are in the midst of winter, and surprising to Vancouver, this has actually meant real snow. So on these dark and cold nights, we often like to take a trip down memory lane of that year we were able to skip winter altogether and feel free of all responsibilities.
With that in mind, we wanted to pay homage to the most amazing time in our lives to date, via the amazing food we had along the way. So, this post will be the first in a series of food inspiration from our incredible journey.
Our first port of call was Melbourne for family and the Australian Open. It was those early days where M got the worst sunburn, we finally were able to have it sink in that we didn’t have to go to work next week, and we ate some of the most amazing burgers. The thing with Australia is, it’s expensive. The prices at restaurants is much higher than what we find at home, so we avoided eating out as much as we could. That being said, the times we did treat ourselves, we had some awesome food. Most notably was as M describes, “the best burger I’ve ever had” and the kangaroo burger on a beetroot bun in Victoria market.
This burger is all about the toppings, often referred to as “The Lot”, as it is piled high with pickled beetroot (no you can’t just call it beet, it’s a British thing don’t ask questions), pineapple, grilled onions, and of course a sunny-side up fried egg. It may sound strange, but the combination offers a well rounded flavour and texture symphony. Sweet, salty, creamy, sour and super filling. This burger is synonymous with Australia, and it transports us right back there. Minus the beaches. But one out of two ain’t bad.
Burger from Oz
Ingredients
- For the Burger Patty:
- 500g ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tbsp bbq sauce
- 1 tbsp bread crumbs
- Toppings:
- Pineapple rings
- Picked Beets
- Grilled onions
- Butterleaf lettuce
- Mayo
- BBQ sauce
- Hamburger buns
Directions
- Step 1 In a mixing bowl add all patty ingredients. Using your hands to combine, don’t over mix.
- Step 2 Shape four equal patties, with a thumb well in the middle. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3 Cook on bbq or in a saute pan on the stove, make sure they are nearly cooked before flipping for the first time.
- Step 4 Prepare your topping ingredients while the burgers are cooking-saute your white onion, in the same pan cook your pineapple until brown and caramelized.
- Step 5 Assemble your bun with any spreads you like and top with all the fixings-enjoy!