French Onion Burgers With Oven Fries and Dijon Gravy

Rachael Ray, 'Just In Time'

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 4

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

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Halve the potatoes lengthwise, then cut each half into 5 thin wedges.
3. Place the potatoes and 4 crushed garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet and coat with about 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
4. Season liberally with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden in color and crispy.
5. 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.
6. Add the onions, chopped garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper.
7. Cook until the onions caramelize, 20 minutes or so.
8. Add the sherry and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom, and cook for a couple of minutes longer.
9. While the onions are cooking, preheat a grill pan or large skillet over med-high heat.
10. In a bowl, combine the sirloin with the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper.
11. Divide the mixture into 4 portions, then form each portion into a large patty.
12. 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.
13. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
14. Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, then whisk in the flour and cook for another minute.
15. Whisk in the stock and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes to thicken.
16. Season the gravy with pepper and stir in the Dijon mustard; set aside.
17. When the fries have cooked about 40 minutes, turn the oven to broil.
18. Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast on both sides 6 inches from broiler until lightly golden.
19. 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.
20. Dress the greens with the lemon juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, and salt and pepper.
21. Place the burgers on the plain toasts and top with mounds of the French onions.
22. Take the cheesy bread and set in place on top of the onions, cheesy side down.
23. 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.