Early fall is all about those highly-anticipated hot new cookbooks, including one from Chris Kronner, owner of Oakland’s beloved Kronnerburger and author of the tomb of its secrets, “A Burger to Believe In” (Ten Speed Press, 239 pages, $30). If you frequented the Piedmont Avenue burger joint, you remember this patty melt with onions cooked in beef tallow, sharp cheddar, a touch of bechamel and Chinese hot mustard to balance out the richness. Kronner typically favors simplicity in his burger building but this heavy piece of heaven is complex and memorably delicious.
Kronnerburger’s Ultimate Patty Melt
Serves 4
Caramelized onions:
5 tablespoons rendered beef tallow or unsalted butter
1 white onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Patty melt:
1 pound freshly ground, dry-aged, grass-fed beef
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided use
8 slices levain bread
¼ cup Chinese hot mustard
¾ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup béchamel (see below)
Bechamel:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
1 bay leaf
Dash of red wine vinegar
1 pinch each kosher salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg
Directions:
- For the onions, melt the tallow or butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
- For the patty melt: Heat the broiler. Divide the beef into four 4-ounce balls, handling minimally. Put a sheet of plastic wrap over a 4-inch ring mold on a cutting board or other hard surface. Put a ball in the middle of the mold and gently press down with the palm of your hand, forming a patty that is 4 inches wide. Pop it out with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking continuously, until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream and add the bay leaf. Keep whisking and cook until the béchamel boils and starts to thicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove the bay leaf. Pour into a bowl to cool. Can be stored, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days.
- Using 4 tablespoons of the butter, butter one side of each levain slice and place, buttered side down, on a baking sheet. Spread the mustard on the unbuttered sides of four slices and top the other four slices with cheese. Broil until the cheese melts and begins to get a touch of color, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the broiler.
- While the bread toasts, cook the patties. Heat a skillet over high heat. Salt both sides of each patty with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and place them in the hot skillet. Cook until deeply browned on one side, about 2 minutes, then flip the patties and cook to a nice medium-rare.
- Place a patty on a cheese-topped bread slice and top with caramelized onions. Spread 1 tablespoon of béchamel on a mustard-topped bread slice and cap the sandwich. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches, one or two at a time and retoast the sandwiches until crisp, about 90 seconds per side. Slice each sandwich in half and serve immediately.
— Reprinted with permission from “A Burger to Believe In: Recipes and Fundamentals by Chris Kronner with Paolo Lucchesi” (Ten Speed Press, 2018)
