Photo by Karen Hermann
SERVES 4
Patties
1 pound ground beef
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mushroom gravy
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unsalted beef stock
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Shape into four oval-shaped patties. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Cook patties 3–4 minutes on each side until browned; remove from skillet to a platter and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet and saute mushrooms until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Wipe out skillet and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add flour and whisk constantly until a sand-like consistency. Gradually add beef stock and whisk until flour and stock are completely combined and start to thicken. Add thyme and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low; return patties to skillet. Cover with mushrooms and simmer, covered, for 10–15 minutes or until patties are thoroughly cooked and sauce has thickened. Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes; garnish with parsley.
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Recipe tip
Flat whisk vs. balloon whisk. When making sauces/gravies, use a flat whisk, not a balloon whisk. A flat whisk allows you to scrape into the corners of a saucepan, thereby evenly distributing all of the flour and ingredients into the sauce. A balloon whisk is used for whipping air into a finished product, like whipped cream and meringues.
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