Juicy Lucy

Serves 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour chilling time 
Cooking time:
20 minutes 

Ingredients
600g rump steak or mince or 4 Beyond Meat burgers (for vegan) 
1½ tsp mixed herbs 
1 shallot very finely diced (or half an onion if this is all you have) 
Salt 
Pepper 
2 tbsp oil 
Brioche 
100ml cream
45g parmesan, finely grated * 
120g double Gloucester or Red Leicester, finely grated
45 gruyere, finely grated *

* If you are vegan, take 100ml Elmlea Plant, 45g of parmesan alternative and 165g grated vegan cheese or a mix of cheeses.  I find if you have the time you can get some amazing non-dairy cheeses on line - better than the supermarkets

Method
First make your cheese.  Heat the cream in the pan until very hot but not boiling (you should see steam rising but no bubbles around the edge).  Add your cheese and stir until completely melted. If you are making the vegan sauce warm the cream slowly as you don’t want it to split. 

Get a large piece of baking parchment and spread the cheese sauce over.  You want it to be about the thickness of a cheese slice.  Top with another piece of parchment and if you need to spread it thinner, get a rolling pin and gently use over the top of the parchment.  The cheese should already be setting.  Put into the fridge. 

If you are mincing your own meat then cut into chunks, sprinkle over the herbs, salt and pepper and then mince.  If you are using mince then just season and very gently with your hands mix through. 

Weigh out 150g and divide into two making two thinnish patties - this is going to be one burger.  Continue with the remaining meat.  This should give you 8 patties for 4 burgers. 

If you are using the vegan/vegetarian meatless burger, you can either just carefully cut the burger in half or you can put into a bowl with the shallot and herbs and carefully with your hands mix through.  Divide into 4 and divide each of those into two making two thinnish patties - this is going to be one burger.  This should give you 8 patties for 4 burgers. 

Your cheese should now be set and cold.  Take a round cutter that is smaller than your patty but not too small!  The aim here is to fill the burger with the cheese just leaving enough on the edge to seal the patties together.  Cut out 8 circles and put 2 on top of each other.  On 4 of your patties place the cheese slices (2 in each) and top with a patty.  You need to now just join the two patties carefully together.  Take the burger in your hand and carefully press the edges together. 

Chill for 1 hour. 

To cook, take a frying pan and put in 2 tbsp oil, it depends on how big your pan is to how many you can fit in, you don’t want to over fill as the burgers do need space to caramelise.  You can either cook in 1 pan if big enough, otherwise cook in 2 pans or heat the oven and do in batches.  Cook on a medium heat for 3-5 minutes until it is brown and turn, cook again for 3-5 minutes and turn for another 3 minutes and turn again.  Your burger should now be cooked but if it is not, just carefully cook a little longer. 

Warm your brioche buns, then you can put in lettuce, gherkins, tomatoes, onion rings, ketchup, burger sauce etc etc etc!