Nothing’s wrong with the usual squirt of ketchup or smear of mustard, but for out-of-the-ordinary burgers, try these inspired condiments.
Toppings for Chicken or Turkey Burgers
Tropical-fruit salsas.Pesto (if you like, add mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and a little balsamic vinegar).Peanut butter, mixed with sesame oil, and soy sauce. Top with sliced cucumbers.Curry powder mixed with mayo.Melted Brie or blue cheese and slices of green apple.Barbecue sauce.Cranberry sauce.
Toppings for Fish Patties
Prepared tartar sauce or make your own by stirring relish and a squeeze of lemon juice into mayonnaise.Prepared wasabi mixed with mayo. Top with sliced pickled ginger.Gremolata: mince parsley and garlic and add finely grated lemon zest.Tropical-fruit salsas.Pesto.
Toppings for Lamb Burgers
Crumbled Feta.Hummus.Gremolata: mince parsley and garlic and add finely grated lemon zest.Curry powder mixed with mayo.Mango chutney.
Toppings for Pork Burgers
Sliced peaches.Mango chutney.Tropical-fruit salsas.
Toppings for Tofu Burgers
Melted sharp Cheddar and a big scoop of vegetarian bean chili. Barbecue sauce.Hummus.
Toppings and Sides for Any Burgers
Guacamole and salsa. Horseradish or pickled peppers on the side.Fried egg.
FREEZING PREMADE PATTIES
Next time you make burgers, do yourself a favor and double the recipe. Form all the meat into patties, but cook only half. Individually wrap the extra patties in plastic wrap and place them all in a freezer bag, then stow it in the freezer. Frozen burgers keep beautifully, and once thawed, they fry or grill up faster than you can order takeout.
Beef patties will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months; lamb, up to 4 months; poultry, 3 to 4 months; salmon, 2 to 3 months. (The only burgers that are markedly better fresh are the tofu kind, since tofu loses most of its moisture when frozen and thawed, becoming dense and dry.) Patties defrost quickly: Unwrap them and place them on a plate in the refrigerator in the morning. Come dinnertime, they’ll be ready to cook.
