Mushroom Serrano Burgers

 I was looking for Jalapeno peppers in the store the other day when I came across a pepper I had never tried before. The "Serrano" pepper. Its shape and color is quite similar to that of a Jalapeno, only smaller. Usually smaller peppers mean they are spicier (I love spicy!), so I was eager to give this pepper a try.

I was surprised when I discovered it was actually a much milder pepper. It does have a similar flavor to the Jalapeno, it just doesn't pack as much heat. It was actually rather tasty though. It was especially good paired with the mushrooms and garlic in these burgers. :)

Burger pictured with melted Muenster cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 Egg
• 1 Clove garlic, finely diced
• 1 Pound hamburger
• 1 Serrano pepper, finely diced
• 7 Small Portabello mushrooms, diced (about a 3/4 to 1 cup)
• Salt & pepper (does anyone ever actually measure these?)
• 1-2 TBSP Parmesan cheese (optional, you could also use almond flour if you prefer)
• Drizzle of olive oil if cooking in a pan (not needed if using full-fat beef, I prefer lean so I usually add a little before cooking)

Whisk egg in a large mixing bowl, crumble hamburger over egg and mix well. Add garlic, Serrano pepper, mushrooms, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute throughout beef. At this point the mixture is already pretty well bound, so you don't really even need to add the Parmesan cheese or almond flour. I used powdered Parmesan cheese, which I admit has several questionable ingredients, so if you would rather avoid that I think almond flour would work as a good substitute. Or you can just try cooking them without either, I think they would hold together pretty well on their own.

Grill or saute to your desired temperature. I always cook mine well done. Remember, consuming raw or undercooked meats can sometimes cause food-borne illnesses. I wouldn't want anyone to get sick off my burgers! We ate these over salad, but I'm sure they would be great on a whole grain bun if you'd prefer that.

Shown over Romaine & Kale salad with olives, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and Feta cheese