Recipe: Emeril's Baby Bam Burgers

March 12, 2004 -- To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the hamburger, Emeril Lagasse grilled up two special burger recipes: Baby Bam Burgers and Kicked up Blue Cheese-stuffed Bacon Hamburgers.

Baby Bam Burger Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion • 2 teaspoons minced garlic • 2 tablespoons ketchup • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard • 1 tablespoon Baby Bam (recipe below)• 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 12 hamburger buns or small dinner rolls

Baby Bam Ingredients & Directions

Yields about 3/4 Cup. Use on everything from soups and sauces to pizza and hamburger patties.

• 3 tablespoons paprika • 2 tablespoons salt • 2 tablespoons dried parsley • 2 teaspoons onion powder • 2 teaspoons garlic powder • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1 teaspoon dried basil • 1 teaspoon dried thyme• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt

*You can also add cayenne to make this spicier. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, and take it from there.

1. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. 2. Stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. 3. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Baby Bam Burger Directions

1. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil or wax paper and wash your hands.

2. Place the meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, garlic, ketchup, relish, mustard, Baby Bam, salt, and pepper, and mix with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Form the meat into patties, using about 1/4 cup for each. Place the formed patties on the baking sheet.

3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. 4. Carefully place three or four patties in the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd them. Using a plastic turner, turn the burgers over after 4 minutes. Cook the burgers on the second side for 3 minutes. Using an oven mitt or pot holder, remove the burgers from the skillet and place on a platter or large plate while the other burgers are cooking. Repeat with the remaining patties.

Serve on hamburger buns, topped with accompaniments if desired.

Yield: Twelve 2-ounce burgers. Be careful cooking the burgers-turn them gently to avoid hot grease splatters!

Optional accompaniments: mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, onion, slices, pickles, pickle relish, tomato slices, lettuce.

Kicked Up Blue Cheese-stuffed Bacon Hamburgers Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef chuck • 1 tablespoon minced garlic• 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 12 ounces blue cheese • 4 large hamburger or kaiser buns, split in half

Desired condiments, such as sliced tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, sliced onions, mayonnaise, mustard eight slices bacon, cooked crisp and drained.

Kicked Up Blue Cheese-stuffed Bacon Hamburgers Directions

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. (Alternately, cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat.)

2. In a bowl, combine the beef, garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix gently but thoroughly. Divide into 8 equal patties.

3. In a separate bowl, crumble the cheese and form into 4 equal patties. Place 1 cheese patty on each of 4 beef patties. Top with remaining 4 beef patties, pinching the edges under to seal the cheese completely.

4. Place the stuffed patties on the grill and cook to desired temperature, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. (Alternately, cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat.) Place the buns on the grill, inside down, until just warmed through, about 30 seconds. Remove the patties and buns from the grill.

5. Place the buns on serving plates and top with desired condiments. Arrange 1 patty on each bottom bun and top with 2 strips of bacon. Place the top buns on each burger and serve immediately.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

All recipes courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. Baby Bam Burger recipe excerpted from There's A Chef in My Soup, Harper Collins, Copyright 2002.