Hamburgers are usually reserved for a cook-out or a quick family dinner. Julia Child, of course, came up with a recipe for hamburger that you would be proud to serve at a dinner party. Her recipe for butter-sautéed hamburgers first appeared in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It's an easy gourmet recipe with a luscious French sauce drizzled over the juicy burger. 

See Also

Boeuf Bourguignon

Butter-Roasted Chicken

Coq au Vin

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup finely minced yellow onion
• 7 tablespoons butter (separated 2 tablespoons softened, 2 tablespoons chilled)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6

Preparation

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook them slowly until tender and softened but not browned.
2. Transfer the onions to a mixing bowl, and allow them to cool.  Add the beef, 2 tablespoons of softened butter, the Kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme and the egg. Quickly combine until just mixed together.  
3. Moisten hands and form the beef mixture into hamburger patties 3/4-inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of each hamburger. (This prevents the burger from puffing up when cooked.) If you're not planning to cook the hamburgers immediately, cover them and and refrigerate until ready to cook.

1. Just before sautéing, spread the flour on a plate and dredge the hamburgers in the flour.  Shake off any excess.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, place the hamburgers into the skillet, and brown each side for 2 to 3 minutes. (You can test if the burger is done by gently pressing down on it. If the burger feels very soft, it's rare. If the meat feels firm, it's medium to well-done.)
3. Transfer the hamburgers to a serving platter, and tent loosely with foil. Pour the fat out of the skillet, and add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high. As the wine boils down, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
4. When the sauce has reduced and thickened, take the skillet off the heat, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of chilled butter cut into small pieces, a little bit at a time. Pour the sauce over the hamburgers and serve.

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle.

Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher