Paella Burgers
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Paella burgers: ground chicken, chopped chorizo, and shrimp patties flavored with saffron, garlic, and pinot noir, grilled and stacked on sourdough rolls with charred onion, red pepper, and a saffron aioli.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
28 minCOOK
10 minREADY
38 minPaella’s trio of flavors in patty form, packed into a sourdough roll. Ground chicken gets mixed with chopped chorizo and coarsely diced shrimp for a patty that eats like an entire pan of paella in three bites. Saffron and pinot noir reduced down with garlic and olive oil go into both the meat mix and the aioli on top, pulling the whole stack back to its Spanish roots.
The mayo is the real move. A small, fireproof saucepan set right on the grill reduces wine, garlic, and saffron threads until thickened, then gets stirred into mayonnaise once cool. It takes on a deep golden color and that distinctive saffron perfume. Whole wheat breadcrumbs and a beaten egg hold the patty together without turning it stodgy.
Grill pepper and onion slices alongside for the classic paella vegetable profile, then stack on toasted sourdough rolls with a thick tomato slice. Six minutes a side on a medium grill cooks the patties through without drying out the shrimp.
Chef Tips
- Crush the saffron threads with the back of a spoon while they reduce in wine. Crushed threads release color and flavor faster than whole threads sitting in the liquid.
- Chop the shrimp coarse, not fine. You want visible shrimp pieces in every bite, not paste.
- Keep the patties a touch thicker than standard burger patties. The mix is delicate and falls apart if spread too thin.
- Oil the grill rack just before the patties go on. The chorizo fat helps, but a slick grate is insurance.
Variations
- Swap ground chicken for ground turkey, or use half chicken and half pork for richer flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of smoked Spanish paprika to the patty mix for a smokier edge.
- Serve as open-faced sliders on grilled bread for an appetizer portion.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium.
For the mayonnaise:
Combine the oil and garlic in a small, fire-proof saucepan on the grill and cook for 1 minute.
Add the wine and saffron and heat, stirring occasionally and using the back of a spoon to crush the saffron and help release the color, until the mixture is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
When the saffron mixture is cool, add the mayonnaise and stir to blend.
Cover and chill until ready to use.
For the patties:
Slice the chorizo and pulse in a food processor to chop.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the oil, garlic, wine, saffron threads, onion, sweet pepper, salt, black pepper, bread crumbs, and egg and mix well.
Coarsely chop the shrimp and add to chorizo mixture. Add the ground chicken and mix gently.
Shape into 6 patties to fit the rolls.
Put the onion and pepper slices on a baking sheet or platter and brush with the oil.
Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
When the grill is ready, rub the grill rack with oil.
Place the patties on the grill and cook for 6 minutes per side, until cooked through, being careful not to overcook.
Grill the onion and pepper slices until crisp-tender and showing grill marks, about 1 minute per side for the peppers and 3 minutes per side for the onion.
While they are cooking, toast the rolls.
To assemble the burgers:
Spread the toasted sides of the rolls with the mayonnaise.
Place a patty on the roll bottoms, then add the grilled onion and red peppers, dividing evenly.
Top with the tomato slices and the roll tops.
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