Caesar Salad Flank Steak Burgers with Garlic Crostini

Kim of Stirring the Pot is the host of the burger club this month and she chose Caesar Salad Flank Steak Burgers with Garlic Crostini. What I loved about this burger was the grilled sour dough bread. This is an easy way to grill bread for any grilled sandwich, or just some bread slices to go with a BBQ meal. I bought a great loaf of sour dough in the Artisan Bread section of Harmons and it really was the highlight of this burger.

I didn’t think using flank steak added tons of flavor to the burger, and it probably wasn’t worth the extra cost. The dressing was delicious. My husband and I liked the flavor, but he thought it was a bit dry and added ketchup to his burger. So I’m giving this burger 2.5 stars. It was tasty, but not a burger I would make again. Although,  I’ll definitely be grilling sour dough again.

Visit Reeni at Cinammon Spice & Everything Nice for more information on the Burger Club, and visit Kim of Stirring the Pot if you want to review this month’s burger.

Caesar Salad Flank Steak Burgers with Garlic Crostini

Adapted from Build a Better Burger (Makes 4 large meal-sized burgers)
Estimated Time: 30-40 minutes

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 flat anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and chopped (I use 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste) (I omitted)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Patties:
1-1/2 pounds ground flank steak
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Zinfandel (feel free to use any red wine or even beef broth)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for brushing the grill rack

Garlic Crostini:
8 (1/2 inch-thick) sourdough bread slices
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing on the bread
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
You will also need:
1-1/2 cups washed, dried, and shredded romaine lettuce
Shredded, freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese to taste

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high.
To make the dressing, combine the olive oils, vinegars, and salt in a small jar with a lid and shake until well blended. Mash the anchovy fillets and garlic together on a cutting board until they form a paste; transfer to a bowl. Add the oil and vinegar mixture, lemon juice, and parsley and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

To make the patties, combine the steak, parsley, shallots, garlic, Zinfandel, salt, lemon pepper seasoning, and pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the bread slices.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference 5-7 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, to make the crostini, brush the bread slices to taste with olive oil on both sides. Place the bread slices on the outer edges of the rack, turning once to toast lightly. Remove and rub each side of the toast with 1/2 garlic clove.

To assemble the burgers, combine the lettuce and the dressing in a large bowl and toss lightly. On 4 of the bread slices, place an equal portion of the salad, a patty and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining slices and serve.

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