Grilling

I have always loved Greek food, and a trip to Greece a few summers ago only reinforced that affection. The Greeks are doing something right with their Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil. A burger might not exactly fit into those parameters, but I can use the salty, briny, and fresh elements that they love to make this burger Greek. Flavorful kalamata olives are blended into a spread for the bun, and this combo wouldn’t be Greek without some salty feta cheese and ripe tomato. You might not be as familiar with tzatziki, but this tangy blend of thick yogurt, pungent garlic, and grated fresh cucumber is a staple in Greek cuisine and is used for practically everything, from a dip for wedges of pita bread and French fries to a topping for sandwiches.

It doesn’t get much easier or much better than this. Basting both the burgers as you cook them and the buns before you toast them with a savory garlicky butter adds a whole new dimension of flavor to a classic burger. Try adding a few tablespoons of fresh herbs or a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce to the butter for even more flavor.

Perhaps this should be called Burger Quattro Formaggi after the classic Italian pasta dish or just simply the Cheese Lover’s Burger. You can use any types of cheese you like; I just happen to like this combination of nutty Swiss, creamy American, tangy goat, and salty Parmesan. All this burger needs is a thick slice of red beefsteak tomato and a few leaves of fresh arugula, a sort of homage to the Italian flag.

There are some mornings—and they usually come after a long night—when all I can think about is a breakfast sandwich piled high with eggs, bacon, and cheese. Add a side of hash browns and I might as well be in heaven. Given my love of a good breakfast sandwich, it was only a matter of time before I decided to move that sandwich out of breakfast-only terrain and into a burger. Breakfast, lunch, dinner . . . now I can get my fix any time. I prefer my egg cooked over easy because I love how the yolk runs out and saturates the burger after the first bite, but if that’s not your thing, you should of course cook the eggs according to your preference.

To add lots of flavor and no fat to meats, rub them with a spice rub. Make the rub mild to extra-spicy, depending on the level of heat you like best. Use leftovers from this recipe for Flank Steak Burritos (page 186) or Cook’s-Choice Fried Rice (page 210).

Try these citrus-flavored cutlets with sweet potatoes sprinkled with nutmeg. If you double the recipe except the pineapple slices, you’ll have enough turkey for Turkey Tortilla Soup (page 54), too.

Here’s the recipe to turn to when you want to spend your time with your family or friends, not in the kitchen. Just refrigerate lean flank steak in a lively orange marinade for up to 48 hours, then quickly grill indoors or out.

This steak is ideal for entertaining outdoors, and you get a bonus— enough meat to make another meal, such as Beef and Caramelized Onion on Hot French Bread (page 202).