Symon "Sundays": The Lola Burger with "Fried" Brussels Sprouts

Last week's edition of Sundays with Symon, hosted by Ashlee at A Year in the Kitchen, was my choice! Unfortunately, I was feeling under the weather on Sunday and was swamped the rest of the week so I was unable to make them. BUT, never fear, here I am with my recipes! I have had the pleasure of eating at Bar Symon and ordered the Lola Burger, so when I had to choose my recipes, that was my front runner!

My good friend is a huge fan of Lolita, one of Michael Symon's other restaurants, and RAVED about the other recipe I choose, Fried Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Capers. Instead of frying them, taking the suggestion from Joanne at Eats Well With Others, I baked my sprouts. Too much fried foods makes an unhappy tummy.

Brussels Sprouts with (Pecans) and Capers
Serves 4, adapted from Live To Cook

NOTE - I didn't actually fry the brussels sprouts. I just couldn't. Instead, I baked them. I also used pecans instead of walnuts because I still have half of a huge bag of pecans that I bought from BJ's. And no bags of walnuts. And because I am trying to be somewhat frugal. I also cut out a lot of the olive oil.

Baked Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Capers
as seen on Eats Well with Others, adapted from Live to Cook

Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
4 salt-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed, filleted and minced (I omitted)
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 C olive oil (you could use HALF this and would be fine)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
2 cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons salt-packed capers, rinsed and patted dry
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
-Heat the oven to 400. Put the brussels sprouts on a baking sheet, spray with oil, sprinkle with salt and bake for 40 minutes.
-Whisk together the garlic, anchovies, serrano, red wine vinegar, honey, scallions, walnuts and extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl large enough to toss all of the Brussels sprouts.
-When the sprouts are done, mix them with the above ingredients, capers and parsley. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.


The LOLA Burger
Makes 4, adapted from Live to Cook
*The star of the burger is not the burger itself; it is supposed to be the pickled red onions and spicy ketchup. Unfortunately, I did not have time to make either one. I am hoping to make these again and do a follow-up blog post with the recipes.

Ingredients
8 slices bacon
1 lb lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
4 thin slices cheddar cheese
4 English muffins, split
4 large eggs
1 dill pickle, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pickled red onion

Directions:
-Build a medium-hot fire in your grill or preheat a stovetop grill pan.
-Cook the bacon in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, turning once until crisp, 5 minutes. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
-Form the ground beef into 4 patties, each about 3 ½ inches in diameter. Season the patties with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Place the burgers on the grill or in the grill pan and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and top each burger with a slice of cheese. Grill for 3 minutes for medium rare. Remove to a plate.
-Add the English muffins to the grill or grill pan and toast for 1 minute. (I totally forgot to do this)
-Cook the eggs sunny-side up in the bacon fat while the burger rests (I drained half the fat. Sue me. I just can't handle that much grease).
-Build the burgers by sandwiching them between the muffin halves along with pickle slices, red onion, bacon, and egg.