Slurrp Exclusive: Chef Vicky Ratnani Expresses His Love For Burgers With This Signature Recipe
Image Credit: Chef Vicky Ratnani, This drool-worthy burger is pure goals.

We found some consonance with Chef Vicky Ratnani when he expressed his love for burgers with us during an exclusive chat. The maestro of culinary arts who has managed to excel in Indian and international flavours equally well has a soft corner for burgers. This led him to pick up the bun and toss it up and about to launch Speak Burgers. 

Speaking about his gourmet burger venture, Chef Vicky exudes, "Speak Burgers is actually a labour of love. The burger game has gone to the next level where people are not just eating Mcdonald’s or Burger King or any of these large formats. People like to eat artisanal, you know stand alone brands, innovative burgers, well-prices, good ingredients so I had to prove that burgers are not just fast food or junk food. Also, I am very good at my burgers and I derive my burger inspiration from classical burgers. But as you travel around the world, you tend to pick up different flavours and there is always a flavour that can reflect into a burger". 

He truly believes that burgers have a lot of potential and if you get to it, you’ll realise how much you can do, from sauces to pickles and the patty of course. Since he is such an ardent fan of burgers, we’ve fetched his signature burger recipe from his house of gourmet burgers called Mother Earth Mushroom Burger.

Here’s the detailed, step-by-step recipe for you to try. 

Mother Earth Mushroom Burger

With grilled portobello mushrooms, mushroom pate, pickled mushroom, tomato compote, grilled onions, buffalo mozzarella, and home-made potato pepper bun

Prep time: 60 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Makes: 1 burger

Ingredients

For The Marination

  • 30 gm balsamic vinegar
  • 15 gm extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 gm salt
  • 2 gm black pepper powder
  • 1 gm thyme
  • 3 gm chilli flakes
  • 2 portobello mushrooms, cleaned with wet tissue (do not wash)

For The Mushroom Pate

  • 60 gm white button mushrooms, cleaned with wet tissue (do not wash)
  • 15 gm soft butter
  • 3 gm truffle oil
  • 15 gm fresh cream
  • 3 gm finely-chopped garlic

For The Mushroom Pickle

  • 60 gm white button mushrooms, cleaned with wet tissue (do not wash), cut in 2 mm slices
  • 100 gm water 
  • 50 gm vinegar 
  • 10 gm coriander seeds 
  • 10 gm fennel seeds 
  • 20 gm sugar
  • 5 gm turmeric
  • 5 gm black pepper whole
  • Salt, to taste

For The Grilled Onions

  • 25 gm white onions, cut into 3mm roundels
  • 5 gm soft butter
  • 5 gm olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly-milled black pepper, to taste
  • For The Toppings + Bun
  • 1 burger bun
  • 30 gm arugula drizzled with balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tomato, cut in 2 mm slices
  • 1 English cucumber, cut in 3mm slices length-wise and brined
  • 15 gm grilled onions (Sauté on a medium flame with butter and olive oil)
  • 15 gm tomato compote (Reduce peeled tomato puree seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme)
  • 45 gm buffalo mozzarella, cut into three thick slices. 

In a wide bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pepper, salt, thyme, chilli flakes and whisk it well. Add the cleaned portobello mushrooms to this it and gently toss. Cover and leave it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Making The Mushroom Pate

  1. In a heavy bottom pan, heat the add olive oil and butter. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute.
  2. Then add in the mushrooms, splash it with truffle oil and cream.
  3. Cool it down and grind to fine paste by adding cubes of butter.

Source: Chef Vicky Ratnani/Instagram

  1. Mix all the pickling ingredients and gently simmer it 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool it down. 
  2. Add sliced raw white button mushrooms and store it in refrigerator for three hours before use. 

Making The Grilled Onions

  1. Heat a pan on medium and add in the butter, olive oil and onion roundals. Sprinkle with salt, freshly-milled black pepper. 
  2. Sauté until they become tender and caramalised. Cool it down before use. 

Grilling The Portobello

Brush a hot griddle with olive oil and place the marinated portobello mushroom on it. Grill each side until it is cooked.

Assembly Of The Mother Earth Burger

  1. Slice the bun and toast it on a hot griddle. 
  2. Apply mushroom pate on both the buns.
  3. Toss arugula leaves in balsamic dressing, place it on buns. 
  4. Place the mushroom pickles and sliced tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Place cucumber pickles on top of it. 
  5. Place the grilled mushrooms over the cucumber and top them with grilled onions and drizzle of tomato compote. Top with sliced buffalo mozzarella, season with salt and pepper. 
  6. Close the bun.
  7. Enjoy!