INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon oil
4 sesame hamburger buns, halved
4 tablespoons dijon mustard
8 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices good-quality smoked leg ham
4 large gherkins or pickles, sliced, plus extra to serve
softened butter, to brush the buns
fries, to serve (optional)

Beef patties
500 g minced (ground) beef or veal
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 small green capsicum (bell pepper), finely diced
1/3 cup grated red onion
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet Spanish paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO MAKE

To prepare the patties, use your hands to mix the beef with the garlic, capsicum, onion and spices until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into four burger-sized patties.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil. Cook the patties over medium to high heat for four to six minutes on each side, until well coloured and medium rare (or cooked to your liking). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Give the pan a wipe with paper towel and place back on the heat. Toast the buns in the pan and spread the tops and bottoms with mustard.

Lay a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun and place a patty on top, followed by a slice of ham, another slice of cheese, and finally the pickle. Top with the other half of the bun and repeat with the remaining burgers. Brush the buns well with butter and cook on a sandwich press until golden and the cheese is melted and oozing. Alternatively, wrap the burgers in foil and cook in a hot frying pan with a heavy-based pan placed on top of the burger to press it down. Cook until golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Serve with extra pickles and French fries if you like.

Serves four. 

This is an edited extract and images from Ben’s Meat Bible by Ben O’Donoghue, published by Hardie Grant Books.