Where's the beef? (2014)

By Rose Reisman Toronto is currently filled with a plethora of burger restaurants. These days there is a big difference between the burgers you get a fast food joint and what’s served up at a gourmet restaurant. My attitude is that if you’re going to occasionally splurge on these delicious calories and fat you may as well have the best burger in town. In 2014, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, located in Liberty Village, had one of the tastiest burgers I’d ever encountered.  The MTK burger is a half pound of beef, which is ground on the premises, and is topped with tomato relish, crispy tobacco onions and served on a homemade “pain au lait” bun. It’s the signature onions that put the final touch on this mouth-watering burger.  To get this tobacco-like look, these red and yellow onions are floured, sprinkled with paprika and cayenne pepper, and fried. Mildred’s takes classic meals such as burgers, Caesar salad, risottos, ribs and chicken and gives them a hip twist. Diners love the open, perfectly lit industrial dining space with it’s sleek and modern feel. In the warmer months there’s a beautiful summer patio overlooking a lush garden. If you’re dining at home during barbeque season, grill up your own version of a gourmet burger with my Greek Feta Burger recipe. Greek Feta Burger Serves 5 1 cup chopped mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup light feta cheese, crumbled 1 lb extra-lean ground beef or lamb 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives or green onions 3 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano 2 Tbsp barbecue sauce 3 Tbsp dry seasoned breadcrumbs 2 tsp minced fresh garlic 1 egg 3 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano or parsley

1. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking oil; add the mushrooms and onions and cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes or until softened and browned. Remove from the heat. Stir in the feta.
2. Combine the beef, chives, oregano, barbecue sauce, breadcrumbs, garlic and egg in a bowl. Stir in the onion mixture. Mix thoroughly. Form into 5 patties.
3. Spray a non-stick grill pan or barbecue grill with cooking oil and heat to medium-high. Grill the patties for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center. (Alternatively, place on a baking sheet in the center of a preheated 450ºF oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through, turning once.) Garnish with oregano and crumbled feta cheese, if desired.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Make Ahead: Prepare to the grilling stage up to a day in advance, cover well and refrigerate. Grill just before serving. Nutritional Analysis per Serving Calories 194 Protein 21 g Fat 9.6 g Saturated Fat 3.6 g Carbohydrates 5.9 g Cholesterol 76 mg Sodium 210 mg Fibre 0.8 g Source: The Complete Light Kitchen (Whitecap Books) By: Rose Reisman Photo: Brian MacDonald, from The Complete Light (Whitecap Books)