Sliders
Have you seen kobe sliders on every restaurant menu lately?
It's the newest trendiest food, last year.
Little hamburgers on little buns with cool toppings.
If you ever eat at Little Owl in NYC, try their meatball sliders, it's their signature appetizer, and they are so damn good.
But the real slider, really spelled slyder, was invented by White Castle, the oldest fast food chain in the country. They coined the phrase "slyder" and they were little square hamburger patties with minced onions and were sold in the 1940's for a nickel a piece.
No, I am not old enough to remember them being a nickel, but I do remember going to White Castle at 1 a.m. with my high school friends for a dozen "rat burgers", as we called them back then. They had a unique taste all their own and were really disgusting.
I made sliders this weekend and since I couldn't find small buns to fit the small burgers, I used a biscuit cutter to cut regular hamburger buns into small size.
I made delicious toppings of Gruyere cheese with caramelized onions, and spicy tomato jam with smoked mozzarella (the winner). Everyone went crazy over them, and they were so easy!
I will be making these all summer long.
Comments
Thanks for sharing.
I remember eating White Castle in the 60's, don't remember the price though, my parents were paying!
LL
Thanks for the memories.
mil
In college (Rutgers) we used to make "Castle Runs" at midnight during our study breaks (right!). I even made a video (3/4" Beta - 1982) for a class, documenting one of these hamburger orgies. I didn't know there was a built-in microphone so I told my actors (roommates) they could say whatever they wanted. Boy was I surprised when my professor told me to turn the volume up so he could hear. Got an "A", though. I think I invented reality TV back in 1982!
Now that we (roommates) are successful (Dir. of Worldwide Marketing at Kodak, Urologist, and me) we like to call them "Chateau Blancs" because we have class now. We drink Pinot Noir with them, instead of Budweiser.
Anyway, I have come up with a great recipe for Chateau Blancs... filet mignon, sliced about 1/4" thick. Shallots instead of onions. Sweet Gherkins instead of pickles. Tillamook Cheddar instead of American Cheese. Cook them in a non-stick skillet or on a non-stick pancake griddle. Cook them the same way... use the bun to steam them so you don't have to turn them. M-m-m good!
Hi Stacey... hi to Henry!
Your variation I'm sure is much better. Clever trick with the buns. I tried to make mini burgers on biscuits once, but biscuits are too delicate and thin.
I have often thought of making a sequel to my college video, using my now successful roommates... what would I call it? "Castle Run 2: After all those Runs", of course!
Oh, would you post that tomato jam, that sounds delish!
Thanks for this great tip.
Sam
Great idea to cut the buns with a biscuit cutter. What'd you do with the leftover bread?