Goomba Burger

Wild Mushroom Confit:

• 2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms, sliced into 1/4 inch-thick strips (like portobello, shiitake, or oyster)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 3 shallots, cut into quarters
• 3 large sprigs rosemary
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 6 cups extra virgin olive oil

Shiitake “Bacon”:

• 1 pound shiitake caps, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper

Lemongrass Aïoli:

• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Beef–Wild Mushroom Patties:

• 1 1/2 pounds grass-fed ground beef (or any high quality 80/20 ground beef)
• 1/2 pound confit wild mushrooms, half finely chopped and half coarsely chopped

To serve:

• 4 hamburger buns (brioche or other soft bun)
• 4 Goomba Patties
• 8 slices Havarti cheese
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 1 heirloom tomato, sliced

Make the confit mushrooms: place all ingredients except the olive oil into a baking dish and cover with the olive oil. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Place in a 350°F oven and cook for 2 hours until the mushrooms are soft. Let cool.

Make the shiitake “bacon”: in large mixing bowl, toss the sliced mushrooms with the olive oil to coat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a baking sheet. Place in a 275°F oven and cook, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are crispy and brown. (This should take about 1 hour total.)

Make the lemongrass aïoli: chop the lemongrass stalk into small pieces. Place the lemongrass and oil in small pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let the oil infuse with the lemongrass for about 20 minutes. Once the oil is infused, strain it using a fine-mesh sieve. Place the remaining ingredients, including the infused oil, into a blender. Blend until you have achieved a thick, velvety aïoli.

Make the patties: in large bowl mix the beef and mushrooms together. Form into four 8-ounce patties.

Cook the patties: season both sides of the patty liberally with salt and pepper. Place on very hot grill and grill until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Top with the Havarti cheese and make sure the cheese is melted before serving, about 1 additional minute.

Meanwhile, toast the buns and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons lemongrass aïoli onto the top and bottom of each bun. Top with the shiitake “bacon”, baby arugula, and sliced tomato and serve.