Every once in a while I search around YouTube for Frita Recipes in the hopes I come across something cool and I did! I found a recipe called “The Ultimate Frita Burger” which features local Chefs Michael Schwartz and Hedy Goldsmith of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in the Design District. This Frita Burger is served with “Cuban Style Tomato Jam, Pickled Red Onions, Matchstick Potatoes on Toasted Cuban Bread”. Their version of the Frita will have the Cubans at Versailles on 8th Street in an uproar but let’s just keep this between us. Check out the video and recipe below:

Ingredients – Frita Burger:

Serves 8

• 2 pounds ground chuck

• 1/2 pound hard Spanish chorizo, peeled and finely chopped

• 1/2 cup white onion, finely diced

• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions Frita Burger:

1. Preheat the grill. If using the Breville Smart Grill™, preheat to SEAR.
2. In a food processor, grind the chorizo. If using the Breville Sous Chef®, place the micro-serrated universal S Blade™ into the processing bowl and press the START/PAUSE button until chorizo is ground. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
3. Combine all ingredients. Divide into 8 patties.
4. Place patties on preheated grill. Cook for 4-5 minutes or to your required doneness.
5. Slice the buns in half and let sit open face on the grill for 30 seconds, or until toasted, pressing down a bit.

To build the burger, place a burger patty on the bottom bun, top with a spoonful of tomato jam, pickled onions, some matchsticks, and the top bun. Serve.

Ingredients – Tomato Jam:

Yields 3 Cups

•  3 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and cored, seeds removed and chopped

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated

• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Instructions Tomato Jam:

• 1) Peel the tomatoes:

• 1A) Bring a stockpot filled with water to a rolling boil. Fill a large container with ice water. Core each tomato and cut a small x on the bottom of each tomato.

• 1B) Working in batches, submerge the tomatoes in the boiling water for 10 seconds.

• 1C) Quickly remove them and place in ice water to stop the cooking process.

• 1D) Repeat this step until all the tomatoes are in the ice water.

• 1E) Once chilled, peel the skin off.

• 2) Cut each tomato in half and remove the seeds, then cut the tomatoes into 1″ cubes.
• 3) In a small stainless steel saucepan, add the tomatoes along with all the ingredients.
• 4) Bring the jam to a boil stirring often. Lower the heat to a simmer continue cooking for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• 5) The jam is ready when most of the liquid is absorbed. Allow to cool completely.

The Tomato Jam can be served at room temperature or cold right out of the refrigerator. Store the jam in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients – Pickled Red Onions:

Yields 2 cups.

• 2 cups unseasoned rice vinegar

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 2 small red onions, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds and separated into individual rings

Instructions  — Pickled Red Onions:

1. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaves, and mustard seeds in a medium nonreactive pot. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
2. Put the onions in a heat-proof nonreactive container, pour the liquid on top and toss to coat evenly; the onions should be completely submerged in the liquid. Cover and cool to room temperature.
3. Chill before serving. The pickled onions keep for months stored covered in the refrigerator. Be sure to keep them completely submerged in the liquid.

Ingredients — Matchstick Potatoes:

Enough for 8 Frita Burgers

• 3 quarts peanut oil

• 4 large potatoes, peeled

• kosher salt

Instructions — Matchstick Potatoes:

1. Fill your deep fryer with good quality fresh cooking oil. Turn the temperature dial to 350°F. If using the Breville Deep Fryer, 3 quarts of oil is sufficient; other fryers my require more.
2. Slice the potatoes 1/8-inch thick dropping them into a bowl of cold water as they are sliced. Dry the potatoes thoroughly.
3. When the ‘HEATING’ light goes out, place the basket in the ‘Load or Drain’ position and drop the potatoes into the basket, be sure not to over-fill basket.
4. Place the lid on top of the deep fryer, release the basket from the ‘Load or Drain’ position, and gently lower it into the hot oil.
5. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Carefully lift the basket and lock it in the ‘Load or Drain’ position. Allow oil to drain 10 to 20 seconds.
7. With hot pads or insulated oven mitts, remove the lid and frying basket.
8. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.

Ingredients Cuban Bread:

Yields four 12-inch loaves or 24 hamburger buns.

Starter — Cuban Bread:

• ¼ plus 1/8 teaspoon dry yeast

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1. Dissolve the yeast in 3 tablespoons warm water.
2. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir the flour into the yeast until incorporated.
4. Cover the starter and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Dough — Cuban Bread:

• 5 teaspoons dry yeast

• 1 batch of starter

• 5 tablespoons lard

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

• 4½ cups all purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. If using the Breville Smart Oven™, use BAKE on 375° convection.
2. In small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the yeast, the starter, the lard, an additional 1½ cups of water. Mix well with your hands.
4. Add the salt, add the flour 1 cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky.
5. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and knead for 8-9 minutes.
6. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover and allow the dough to double in volume, approximately 2 hours.
7. Punch down the dough. For loaves, divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape into 12” logs. For hamburger buns, divide the dough into 24 small pieces.
8. Place the dough on parchment lined sheet pans, cover with a damp cloth and allow to double volume, approximately 2 hours.
9. Cut 4 pieces of butchers twine about 14″ long for loaves, or 24 pieces 5″ long for hamburger buns. Soak the twine in water until very wet.
10. Take the strings out of the water, squeezing out all the excess water. Place one string down the middle of each loaf or one string across the middle of each bun.
11. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 18 minutes. To test for doneness, the top crust of the bread will be slightly browned, the inside will have a soft, fluffy consistency. When you tap the underside of the bread, it should have a slightly hollow sound.
12. Remove the pans from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely before removing the strings.

To build the burger, place a burger patty on the bottom bun, top with a spoonful of tomato jam, pickled onions, some matchsticks, and the top bun. Serve.

Pictures, Video & Recipe courtesy of Breville.