Some days, we want a cheeseburger. Some days, it’s cold and rainy, and we prefer a hearty stew. Last week, those two types of days intersected, and we decided to make this dish! We started by thinking of burger toppings we liked, and from that, we decided we needed to incorporate mushrooms, onions, and some sort of leafy green. Knowing that lettuce doesn’t hold up to heat very well, we opted to use a heartier green, and we went with Kale, which was a really nice addition. We then finished off our “Burger” ingredients with some salt, pepper, ground mustard seed, and ketchup.
The next question we faced was how to turn that set of ingredients into a stew. Well, my friends, we had just purchased a bag of Russet Potatoes, so we thought back to our Chilled Potato and Shallow Soup and reckoned that the potatoes could form the soup base…and add a little bit of a “French Fries” vibe to complete the “platter.” In this particular case, we also dug into our bag of tricks and incorporated a copious bit of Cauliflower with our Potatoes.
Once we had our soupy mashed potatoes and our burger ingredients cooked, we combined them (we used a crockpot due to timing needs, but a soup pot would do as well if you’re home as it cooks), added some cheese, and let everything simmer. Lastly, we diced up some pickles to add as a garnish to complete the burger vibe!
**This stew is highly customizable, so use whatever burger toppings (bacon included) you most prefer! Heck, you can even swap out the Ketchup for your favourite BBQ sauce if you’re feeling feisty.
Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):
- For your Soup Base:
- 4 Medium Russet Potatoes
- 1/2 Cauliflower
- 2 Tablespoons of Butter
- A few Cups of Milk (Depending on how soupy you want the end consistency)
- Veggie or Beef Bouillon Cube
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- For your Burger Components:
- 1 Pound Ground Meat. We used turkey, but beef would be great as well
- Large Onion
- Mushrooms
- A leafy green that holds up well to cooking. We used Kale, but Spinach or Collard Greens would be good too
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ketchup
- Ground Mustard Seed
- Optional Garnish: Pickle Relish
Method:
- Rinse and chop your potatoes, and add them to a large pot. Cut your cauliflower into florets, and add it to the potato pot as well. Then add water to cover, and boil until your ingredients turn soft and mashable.
- As your potato/cauliflower cook, dice your onion. Heat some oil or butter in a large pan, and add the onion so it can begin to soften and turn opaque.
- As your onion cooks, slice your mushrooms, and then add them to the pan. Plop your ground meat in as well, and break it up with your spatula. Add in a little salt and pepper, and allow to brown.
- As your meat cooks, remove your kale stalks, and slice your kale into ribbons. Once your meat has browned, add your kale to the party. Sprinkle in some ground mustard seed, and squirt in your ketchup. Stir to combine, and cook fully.
- Once your potatoes/cauliflower are ready, drain the water, and add some butter, a billion cube, and milk to the pot along with your now boiled ingredients. Use a potato masher to mash everything together. Then, add more milk until you reach your desired level of soupiness.
- Combine your soupy mixture and your burgery mixture together into a large pot or a crockpot. Then, add in your cheese, and stir to combine. Allow to simmer so the flavours can fully incorporate.
- Plate, garnish with your optional relish, devour, and enjoy!
