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Oooey-Gooey Patty Melts

Source of Recipe

From "Comfort Food Shortcuts" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"Say 'patty melt,' and I take a step back in time and think of old-fashioned diners with endless menus, waitresses who can carry four plates at the same time, and a cook dressed in white who mans the huge griddle. When an order for a patty melt comes at him, he cooks a burger on the griddle, flips it, adds a slice of cheese, and then covers the whole thing with a metal bowl so the cheese will melt. The patty is then placed on toasted rye bread that has been spread with a tangy dressing. Patty melts are easy to make at home and are a nice change from cheeseburgers. Just add some pickles and potato chips to each plate. Watch out, though—if you're eating a patty melt correctly, some of it will definitely drip down your shirt!"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
â—¦ 4 (5 to 6 ounces each) beef burger patties
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ¾ cup Thousand Island dressing
â—¦ 8 slices rye bread
â—¦ 16 slices Colby Jack
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter


Recipe

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, stir to coat with the oil, and cook until browned, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Put the onion in a bowl and set aside.

Using clean hands, flatten the burger patties so they are the same oval shape as the bread slices. Using your thumb, press a shallow dimple in the center of each patty so the patty cooks more evenly. Season the patties with salt and pepper. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until medium, about 3 minutes per side. Place the burgers on a plate and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.

Spread the dressing on the eight slices of bread. Place 2 slices of cheese on top of each piece of bread. Add a patty and the caramelized onions to four pieces of bread. Top with the remaining slices of bread and their cheese slices.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium heat. Place two sandwiches in the skillet, cover, and cook until the bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan, turn the sandwiches over, cover, and continue to cook until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Repeat to cook the remaining two sandwiches. Slice the sandwiches diagonally before serving.

Makes 4 servings