The Classic Hamburger – by Michelin Star Chef Henrik Yde, Restaurant Kiin Kiin.

Henrik Yde is the owner of the world’s only Thai Michelin Star restaurant in the World. It’s location in the center of Copenhagen, Denmark may seem a little strange but after spending 4 years on a culinary journey through Thailand he decided to open Kiin Kiin.

Trying to teach the American man how to cook is the purpose of this blog. We have brought you many different recipes on finer food and everyday food but few real American classics have been presented here. Now the time has come for the ultimate American Classic – the hamburger; Michelin Star Style.

Making a classic burger is not as simple, as one should think and there are ingredients that are important to balance and combine the flavors to perfection. For this not to be too overwhelming the different chores can work as buy-in for your next poker night.

1st buy-in:
Onion, Lettuce, cheese and burger buns.

The onions has to be white onions – and not the regular yellow kind. They have to be finely chopped. If it’s onion rings you will pull them out with your teeth.

The lettuce has to be crunchy and that’s why a regular iceberg is the perfect choice.

At Restaurant Kiin Kiin they have eksperimented with a dusin different types of cheddar cheeses.  It has to be a sharp chedder approximately 180 days old. The old english cheddars are way too sharp in the taste so a good American cheddar will definately do great – but of course in the right quality.

If the buns have to be home made, they have to be soft and sweet. Don’t even think about the italian bred types. The good old burger bun is what completes the classic burger.

2nd buy-in
Pickled cuecumber is a must. Put 2 cups of vinegar in a casserole. Add suger (taste your way but youl will need plenty ½-1 cup) whole black pepper corn and plenty of chopped dill and pearl onions. Heat it up and let it boil for a few minutes. Slice the cuecumbers thinly. Take the casserole of the burner and let it cool with the sliced cucumber in the fridge for two days.

3rd buy-in: Meats The Bacon cannot be too lean. If you can get it, buy dry salted, air dried bacon. 
Ground beef with 18% fat so it won’t get too dry. Remember the ground beef shrinks then cooked and you don’t want to end up with a small and tall paddy. From and old American cook book, Cooks Illustrated the trick is described. Shape the ground beef round and make a dent in the center. When the paddy cooks the dent will ‘undent’ from the meat shrinking. This should make the paddy round and flat. Try and get the beef freshly grounded from the butcher so you are 100% sure it’s fresh.

4th buy-in:
The Mayo cannot be made without using fat. And this is how to make a best mayo for your prime classic burger.
Use 4 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons mustard, 4 oz terragon vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Blend it in a blender. Add 7 oz of rapeseed oil or good olive oil and 20 oz of a neutral flavored oil e.g grapeseed oil. Pour the oil in VERY SLOOOWLY while the blender is running. Remember that all ingredients has to be the same temperature (room temperature when blending the mayo. 

5th buy-in:
Ketchup is inspired from the asian cuisine. 
Boil 32 ounces of tomatoes with 1 peeled apple, 2 peeled, chopped onion , 3 peeled cloves of garlic, 1 tea spoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon allspice, 1 cup of brown sugar and 7 oz vinegar for 10-15 minutes. If you want a chunky kind, you can serve as is or choose to blend it.