Ingredients
-
4 large
baking potatoes, scrubbed and dried
-
7
garlic cloves
( 4 crushed, 3 finely chopped)
-
1/2 cup
extra virgin olive oil
-
salt
-
black pepper
-
4 tablespoons
butter
-
2 large
onions, thinly sliced
-
1
bay leaf
-
1 teaspoon
ground thyme
-
1/2 cup
dry sherry
-
2 lbs
lean ground sirloin
-
3 tablespoons
Worcestershire sauce
-
fresh flat leaf parsley, a generous handful, finely chopped
-
1 large
shallot, finely chopped
-
2 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
-
2 cups
beef stock
-
2 tablespoons
Dijon mustard
-
8 slices
fat French bread
( 1-inch thick slices)
-
1/2 lb
gruyere cheese, shredded
-
2
romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
-
1
lemon, juice of
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Halve the potatoes lengthwise, then cut each half into 5 thin wedges.
- Place the potatoes and 4 crushed garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet and coat with about 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Season liberally with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden in color and crispy.
- Once the fries have had a 15-minute head start, heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add the onions, chopped garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Cook until the onions caramelize, 20 minutes or so.
- Add the sherry and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom, and cook for a couple of minutes longer.
- While the onions are cooking, preheat a grill pan or large skillet over med-high heat.
- In a bowl, combine the sirloin with the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Divide the mixture into 4 portions, then form each portion into a large patty.
- Coat the patties in a little oil and cook for 5 minutes on each side for pink centers, a minute or so less for rare and 2 minutes longer for well done.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, then whisk in the flour and cook for another minute.
- Whisk in the stock and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes to thicken.
- Season the gravy with pepper and stir in the Dijon mustard; set aside.
- When the fries have cooked about 40 minutes, turn the oven to broil.
- Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast on both sides 6 inches from broiler until lightly golden.
- Set 4 pieces of bread aside, then mound the gruyere onto the remaining bread rounds, just like the large croutons that top French onion soup; return to the oven to melt the cheese, 1-2 minutes.
- Dress the greens with the lemon juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, and salt and pepper.
- Place the burgers on the plain toasts and top with mounds of the French onions.
- Take the cheesy bread and set in place on top of the onions, cheesy side down.
- Serve greens on the side; serve the fries piled high on a platter and pour the gravy over them, or pour the gravy in a bowl and dip as you go.