Last year, while sipping a Manhattan and staring at a pile of ground beef, wondering how I could inject some pizzazz into my burger game, I was seized with a thought — what if I could make a burger that tasted like the cocktail I was drinking? After experimenting on my own, I got some of NYC’s top burger chefs involved in what I called the Manhattan (Burger) Project. You can read about the deliciousness that transpired (and get recipes) here.
And that was that. Or so I thought at the time. But then I got to wondering about other cocktails I could subject to the burger treatment. The Sidecar — a cocktail dating back to Prohibition-era Paris featuring two parts cognac, one part Cointreau (orange liqueur), and one part fresh squeezed lemon juice, served in a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass — isn’t the kind of drink that immediately brings burgers to mind. But hey, take five great chefs, throw a challenge their way, and they will rise to the occasion. This is the third of five articles documenting the Sidecar Burger Project; if you missed the first two, you can find them here and here. Check back for more cocktail burger deliciousness!
There’s some debate on exactly where the Sidecar originated — common wisdom holds that it’s a French drink dating to the end of World War I or the early days of American Prohibition. But you could also make a case that it evolved from the Brandy Crusta, which was popular in New Orleans as far back as Jerry Thomas’ time in the mid-1800s. Either way, Greece, or bartenders of Greek origin, or Greek ingredients, had nothing whatsoever to do with the creation and evolution of the Sidecar.
Which is why it’s so odd — and so cool — that Christopher Zabita, the executive chef at the Society Cafe in New York’s West Village, took his inspiration for a Sidecar Burger from lamb and feta cheese and Greek yogurt. “When I looked at the ingredients of the Sidecar,” he says, “I felt that they wouldn't be something that would accompany a beef burger. Those flavors would be more appropriate to something gamey - duck, lamb, etc. I've made lamb burgers before so I felt more comfortable executing that while incorporating those flavors. Feta cheese is great when marinated with a little citrus so it was the perfect fit for the burger.”
Chef Christopher Zabita of the Society Cafe, whipping up his take on a Sidecar Burger.
Zabita uses a mix of leg and belly for his lamb burgers (which aren’t dry-aged, for those of you who want to try this at home), because the belly on its own is too fatty. He cooks it in just a bit of canola oil, and once it’s nicely seared, he flips it and... bastes it with butter. I feel my arteries shuddering with fear while he does it, but hey, delicious and healthy don’t always go hand in hand. “The burger is best served medium,” he advises. ”Anything more cooked would make the burger dry and lose flavor. Less cooked is okay, but for me personally, ground and rare lamb can be off-putting.”
While the burger cooks, I check out my favorite component in this meaty extravaganza, the Sidecar vinaigrette, which will be used to dress the greens that top the burger. “It really is like a Sidecar,” Chris says. “We just reduced its components, and then make a vinaigrette. It’s pretty cool.” The vinaigrette uses cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice, cooked down to a syrup, with a little oil added. Talk about having your cocktail and eating it, too. And if you’re not in the mood for a burger, it makes a killer salad dressing. Chris also employs an onion marmalade using cognac and Cointreau, as well as roasted tomatoes marinated with lemon and orange zest, to add some extra Sidecar-ness to the proceedings.
The tang of the feta and Greek yogurt offset all the citrus that could, if left untempered, make for an oddly fruity burger. “You know, it’s actually really easy to make your own yogurt,” Zabita notes. “You can take Greek yogurt from the store, take a little scoop of that, put it into warm milk, and let it sit overnight. Once you have it, you can make your own. It’s like making sourdough bread.” Or sour mash whiskey, for that matter. I wouldn’t have thought less of him had he used store-bought yogurt, but that’s his prerogative.
Chris Zabita putting the finishing touches on his masterpiece.
Just before the burger is done cooking, Chris tops it with the whipped feta and roasted tomato. He smears the Greek yogurt on the bottom of the bun; he uses a “real” burger bun, which in his case comes from Balthazar Bakery, but in your case can come from the supermarket (I prefer Martin’s potato rolls myself). “In the past, I've used brioche,” he says. ”I feel like everyone uses that and I'm kind of tired of it. When I want a burger, I want a real burger bun. I love the taste and feel of bun that makes me think of grilling with my friends and family in the backyard.” He dunks the greens — ”just a mix of greens, like fennel tops, dandelion greens, a little bit of baby kale” — in the Sidecar vinaigrette, and caps the whole glorious affair with the bun top.
“It might be a little messy,” he warns, “but that’s OK.” Messy doesn’t begin to describe this burger. The runny feta, the tender tomato, the juicy meat, the dressing-laden greens, all conspire to make a burger that almost requires either a fork and knife, a bib, or both. But any stains on your clothing are worth it, for this burger is an absolute gem, whether or not you know a damn thing about the cocktail that inspired it.
“I didn't necessarily intend to have the burger taste exactly like the cocktail,” Zabita says. ”I guess I would say my aim was to complement the cocktail.” If you’re hunting for a Sidecar vibe while eating the burger sans cocktail, you’ll find them easily enough, especially in the citrus notes in the vinaigrette and (especially) the onions. But when you’re sipping a well-made Sidecar alongside it, both burger and cocktail are elevated, with the big, fruity notes of the Sidecar harmonizing with the gamey lamb and tangy Feta like a culinary Everly Brothers. Sip, bite, marvel, and repeat until Sidecar is drained and burger has magically disappeared into your belly.
Chef Zabita’s Sidecar Burger, in all its messy, runny glory.
As of now, Chris’ Sidecar Burger isn’t available at Society Café. But with a trip to the market, a little elbow grease, and the recipe below, you can make your own. Just remember, the recipe is for 8 burgers — if you want fewer, break out your calculator and divide appropriately. And while you’re calculating, if you’re not the metric type, 1 ounce = roughly 30 grams (28.3495, to be precise). The rest is up to you. Good luck — and check back for more delicious Sidecar Burger recipes!
CHRISTOPHER ZABITA’S SIDECAR BURGER
Lamb Burger:1100g Lamb Leg530g Lamb BellyGrind on medium die. Mix by hand and form patties weighing 185g. Yields 8 burgers.
Tomato Marinade:1 Bunch Parsley1/2 Bunch Oregano2 Cloves GarlicZest of 1 LemonZest of 1 Orange1 Roma TomatoPuree all except tomato with canola oil to achieve a loose green puree. Cut tomato in half and toss with marinade. Season with salt. Roast in oven on 250F for 30 minutes. Peel skin and cool.
Whipped Feta:200g Feta CheeseBlack Pepper to tasteWhip feta, Season with black pepper.
Red Onion Marmalade:545g Red Onions, sliced thin32g Cointreau19g Cognac12g Candied Orange Zest, chopped fine100g Orange Juice25g Brown SugarSweat onions in oil until translucent. Add brown sugar and caramelize. Deglaze with Cointreau and cognac. Reduce to sec. Add orange juice and cook until glazed over. Remove from heat and fold in orange zest.
Sidecar Vinaigrette:56g Cognac28g CointreauJuice of 1 Lemon85g CanolaReduce cognac and Cointreau to syrup. Add lemon juice and oil. Season with salt.
House made yogurt:245g YogurtZest of 1 Lemon(We make our own yogurt for this preparation, but it can be substituted with Greek yogurt.)
Heat medium saute pan over high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom. The oil should be shimmering. Season lamb burger as you like. Sear in pan until desired crust is reached. Flip and do the same on the opposite side. When ready, add a small amount of butter to the pan and baste. Place burger in oven to continue cooking to desired temperature (medium is recommended). In the meantime, toast your burger bun (brioche bun recommended) however you see fit and warm up red onion marmalade. Spread yogurt on bottom bun. Just before the burger is done cooking spread whipped feta on top, place tomato on top of that and let melt in oven. Build the burger finishing with your choice of lettuces dressed with the sidecar vinaigrette and placing bun on top.