A Week Of Cocktail Burgers Pt. 5: Christopher Zabita's Sidecar Burger (With Lamb!)

The Sidecar — a cocktail dating back to Prohibition-era Paris featuring two parts cognac, one part Cointreau (orange liqueur), and one part fresh squeezed lemon juice, served in a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass — isn’t the kind of drink that immediately brings burgers to mind. But hey, take great chefs, throw a challenge their way, and they will rise to the occasion. This is the last of the Week Of Cocktail Burgers series, but check out the other posts for more cocktail burger deliciousness!

There’s some debate on exactly where the Sidecar originated — common wisdom holds that it’s a French drink dating to the end of World War I or the early days of American Prohibition. But you could also make a case that it evolved from the Brandy Crusta, which was popular in New Orleans as far back as Jerry Thomas’ time in the mid-1800s. Either way, Greece, or bartenders of Greek origin, or Greek ingredients, had nothing whatsoever to do with the creation and evolution of the Sidecar.

Which is why it’s so odd — and so cool — that Christopher Zabita, executive chef at Battello in Jersey City (and former executive chef at the Society Cafe in New York’s West Village, where we first met) took his inspiration for a Sidecar Burger from lamb and feta cheese and Greek yogurt. “When I looked at the ingredients of the Sidecar,” he says, “I felt that they wouldn’t be something that would accompany a beef burger.  Those flavors would be more appropriate to something gamey - duck, lamb, etc.  I’ve made lamb burgers before so I felt more comfortable executing that while incorporating those flavors.  Feta cheese is great when marinated with a little citrus so it was the perfect fit for the burger.”

Chef Christopher Zabita, whipping up his take on a Sidecar Burger.

Zabita uses a mix of leg and belly for his lamb burgers (which aren’t dry-aged, for those of you who want to try this at home), because the belly on its own is too fatty. He cooks it in just a bit of canola oil, and once it’s nicely seared, he flips it and... bastes it with butter. I feel my arteries shuddering with fear while he does it, but hey, delicious and healthy don’t always go hand in hand. “The burger is best served medium,” he advises.  ”Anything more cooked would make the burger dry and lose flavor.  Less cooked is okay, but for me personally, ground and rare lamb can be off-putting.”

While the burger cooks, I check out my favorite component in this meaty extravaganza, the Sidecar vinaigrette, which will be used to dress the greens that top the burger. “It really is like a Sidecar,” Chris says. “We just reduced its components, and then make a vinaigrette. It’s pretty cool.” The vinaigrette uses cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice, cooked down to a syrup, with a little oil added. Talk about having your cocktail and eating it, too. And if you’re not in the mood for a burger, it makes a killer salad dressing. Chris also employs an onion marmalade using cognac and Cointreau, as well as roasted tomatoes marinated with lemon and orange zest, to add some extra Sidecar-ness to the proceedings.

The tang of the feta and Greek yogurt offset all the citrus that could, if left untempered, make for an oddly fruity burger. “You know, it’s actually really easy to make your own yogurt,” Zabita notes. “You can take Greek yogurt from the store, take a little scoop of that, put it into warm milk, and let it sit overnight. Once you have it, you can make your own. It’s like making sourdough bread.” Or sour mash whiskey, for that matter. I wouldn’t have thought less of him had he used store-bought yogurt, but that’s his prerogative.

Just before the burger is done cooking, Chris tops it with the whipped feta and roasted tomato. He smears the Greek yogurt on the bottom of the bun, which in his case comes from Balthazar Bakery, but in your case can come from the supermarket (I prefer Martin’s potato rolls myself). “In the past, I’ve used brioche,” he says.  ”I feel like everyone uses that and I’m kind of tired of it.  When I want a burger, I want a real burger bun.  I love the taste and feel of bun that makes me think of grilling with my friends and family in the backyard.” He dunks the greens — ”just a mix of greens, like fennel tops, dandelion greens, a little bit of baby kale” — in the Sidecar vinaigrette, and caps the whole glorious affair with the bun top.

Chris Zabita’s Sidecar Burger in all its dripping, oozing glory.

“It might be a little messy,” he warns, “but that’s OK.” Messy doesn’t begin to describe this burger. The runny feta, the tender tomato, the juicy meat, the dressing-laden greens, all conspire to make a burger that almost requires either a fork and knife, a bib, or both. But any stains on your clothing are worth it, for this burger is an absolute gem, whether or not you know a damn thing about the cocktail that inspired it.

“I didn’t necessarily intend to have the burger taste exactly like the cocktail,” Zabita says.  ”I guess I would say my aim was to complement the cocktail.” If you’re hunting for a Sidecar vibe while eating the burger sans cocktail, you’ll find it easily enough, in the citrus notes in the vinaigrette and particularly the onion marmalade. But when you’re sipping a well-made Sidecar alongside it, both burger and cocktail are elevated, with the big, fruity notes of the Sidecar harmonizing with the gamey lamb and tangy Feta like a culinary Everly Brothers. Sip, bite, marvel, and repeat until Sidecar is drained and burger has magically disappeared into your belly.

A Sidecar Burger definitely goes better with one of these.

With a trip to the market, a little elbow grease, and the recipe below, you can make your own version of this hellaciously good burger. Just remember, the recipe is for 8 burgers — if you want fewer, break out your calculator and divide appropriately. And while you’re calculating, if you’re not the metric type, 1 ounce = roughly 30 grams (28.3495, to be precise). The rest is up to you. And don’t forget the cocktail to go with it!

SIDECAR COCKTAIL RECIPE:

2 oz. cognac (I prefer VSOP)

1 oz. orange liqueur (Cointreau is generally the go-to)
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a sugared rim (just wet the rim of the glass and smoosh it around in a small dish of sugar).

CHRISTOPHER ZABITA’S SIDECAR BURGER RECIPE:

Lamb Burger:
1100g lamb leg
530g Lamb Belly Grind on medium die.
Mix by hand and form patties weighing 185g. Yields 8 burgers.

Tomato Marinade:
1 Bunch Parsley
1/2 Bunch Oregano
2 Cloves Garlic
Zest of 1 Lemon
Zest of 1 Orange
1 Roma Tomato
Puree all except tomato with canola oil to achieve a loose green puree. Cut tomato in half and toss with marinade. Season with salt. Roast in oven on 250 degrees F for 30 minutes. Peel skin and cool.

Whipped Feta:
200g Feta Cheese
Black Pepper to taste
Whip feta, Season with black pepper.

Red Onion Marmalade:
545g Red Onions, sliced thin
32g Cointreau
19g Cognac
12g Candied Orange Zest, chopped fine
100g Orange Juice
25g Brown Sugar
Sweat onions in oil until translucent. Add brown sugar and caramelize. Deglaze with Cointreau and cognac. Reduce to sec. Add orange juice and cook until glazed over. Remove from heat and fold in orange zest.

Sidecar Vinaigrette:
56g Cognac
28g Cointreau
Juice of 1 Lemon
85g Canola oil
Reduce cognac and Cointreau to syrup. Add lemon juice and oil. Season with salt.

Homemade yogurt (can be substituted with store-bought Greek yogurt):
245g Yogurt
Zest of 1 Lemon

PREPARATION:
Heat medium saute pan over high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom. The oil should be shimmering. Season lamb burger as you like. Sear in pan until desired crust is reached. Flip and do the same on the opposite side. When ready, add a small amount of butter to the pan and baste.
Place burger in oven to continue cooking to desired temperature (medium is recommended). In the meantime, toast your burger bun (brioche bun recommended) however you see fit and warm up red onion marmalade. Spread yogurt on bottom bun.
Just before the burger is done cooking, spread whipped feta on top, place tomato on top of that and let melt in oven. Build the burger, finishing with your choice of lettuces dressed with the sidecar vinaigrette, and place bun on top.