Beef & Chicken Liver Burgers with Garum Pan Sauce, Roasted Broccoli & Japanese Sweet Potato Fries

Beef & Chicken Liver Burgers

A modest proportion of finely chopped liver adds richness without overwhelming the beef. Keeping the mixture cold and handling it lightly helps the patties hold together without a binder.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb 80/20 ground beef, cold
• 6 oz chicken livers, trimmed of connective tissue and any green-stained portions
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken livers very dry. Chill in the freezer for 10–15 minutes until firm but not frozen, then finely mince with a knife; avoid turning them into a liquid purée.
2. Gently fold the liver into the cold beef. Form four patties about 1 inch thick, pressing a shallow indentation into each center. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Season both sides with the salt and pepper just before cooking.
4. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then the patties without crowding; use two skillets or cook in batches if necessary. Sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes, until a substantial brown crust forms.
5. Flip and sear for another 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, turning as needed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the center of every patty reads 165°F. Cover briefly if the crust is getting dark before the centers are cooked.
6. Transfer to a warm plate and rest for 5 minutes. Reserve the skillet and its browned fond for the pan sauce, pouring off excess fat and leaving about 1 teaspoon.

Notes

• Because the patties contain chicken liver, cook them to 165°F throughout rather than serving medium-rare.
• Do not press the burgers while cooking; the liver-enriched mixture is more delicate than plain ground beef.

Beef Garum Pan Sauce

Reduced stock and the burgers’ browned fond give the sauce body, while beef garum deepens its savoriness. A little vinegar and cold butter keep the finish balanced and glossy.

Ingredients

• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 3/4 cup unsalted gluten-free beef stock
• 2 tsp Noma Projects beef garum, verified gluten-free, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the burger skillet with its reserved teaspoon of fat over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook for 1–2 minutes until softened, taking care not to burn the fond.
2. Add the stock and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in the beef garum and simmer until reduced to roughly 1/3 cup and lightly syrupy, about 4–6 minutes.
3. Add the vinegar and any juices collected beneath the resting burgers. Remove from the heat and swirl in the cold butter a few cubes at a time.
4. Taste and adjust with pepper and, only if needed, a few additional drops of garum. Spoon over the burgers immediately.

Notes

• Garum varies in saltiness, so reduce the sauce before adding any extra.
• If the sauce is too salty or too thick, loosen it with water a tablespoon at a time. If it separates, take it off the heat and whisk in a teaspoon of cold water.

Roasted Broccoli with Mushroom Garum

Roasting dry broccoli on a hot sheet pan creates browned crowns and tender stems. Adding mushroom garum near the end preserves its savory aroma without scorching it.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb broccoli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp gluten-free mushroom garum, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the broccoli into large florets with long stems. Peel the thick main stem and slice it into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Dry the broccoli thoroughly, toss with the olive oil and pepper, and spread on a rimmed sheet pan with flat cut surfaces against the metal.
3. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn and roast for another 5–10 minutes, until the stems are just tender and the florets have crisp, browned edges.
4. Toss the hot broccoli with the mushroom garum and lemon juice. Taste before adding more garum, then serve promptly.

Notes

• Leave space between the florets; crowded broccoli steams instead of browning.

Japanese Sweet Potato Fries with Noma Projects Spice Mix

Thick, skin-on batons develop caramelized edges while keeping the dense, pale flesh fluffy inside. Applying the spice mix after roasting protects its aromatics from the high oven heat.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Japanese sweet potatoes, scrubbed, skin on
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tsp Noma Projects spice mix, verified gluten-free
• to taste fine sea salt, depending on the salt content of the spice mix

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into roughly 1/2-inch-thick batons or narrow wedges, keeping their thickness as even as possible.
2. Dry well and toss with the avocado oil. Spread across one or two rimmed sheet pans in a single layer, leaving space between the pieces.
3. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn with a thin spatula and roast for another 15–25 minutes, until browned on several sides and completely tender in the center.
4. Toss the hot fries with the spice mix. Taste and add salt only as needed. Serve immediately, keeping them uncovered so the edges stay dry.

Notes

• These are roasted fries with caramelized edges, not uniformly crisp deep-fried potatoes.
• Start with less spice mix if the blend is especially salty or hot, then build to taste.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The sweet potatoes need the longest oven time. Chilling the patties while the vegetables roast makes it possible to finish the burgers and sauce just before serving.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the livers in the freezer to firm up, then cut and oil the sweet potatoes.
2. 0:10 — Start roasting the fries. Mince the livers, mix and shape the burgers, and refrigerate the patties.
3. 0:20 — Prepare the broccoli and mince the sauce shallot. Measure the stock, garum, vinegar, and butter.
4. 0:30 — Turn the fries and put the broccoli in the oven on a separate rack. Rotate the pans as needed for even browning.
5. 0:35 — Begin searing the burgers. Check the vegetables and remove each pan when browned and tender.
6. 0:50 — Confirm every burger has reached 165°F, then rest them while making the pan sauce. Finish the broccoli with garum and lemon, and toss the fries with their spice mix.
7. 0:58 — Spoon the sauce over the burgers and serve everything on warm plates.

Notes

• Allow about 60–70 minutes total; cooking in batches or using a smaller oven may extend the schedule.
• If the fries finish early, keep them spread out and uncovered, then return them to the oven briefly before serving.

Plating

Keeping the sauce concentrated around the burger leaves the fries’ browned edges intact and gives each vegetable its own space.

Instructions

1. Place one burger on each warm plate and spoon the glossy pan sauce over the top, allowing a little to pool beneath it.
2. Arrange a generous pile of sweet potato fries beside the burger, mostly clear of the sauce.
3. Add the broccoli as a separate cluster, showing its browned cut surfaces and crisp florets.

Leftover Path

Separate storage keeps the vegetables from soaking in sauce. Gentle reheating protects the burgers, while dry oven heat restores some texture to the sides.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the cooked burgers, sauce, broccoli, and fries in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat burgers in a covered baking dish at 325°F with a small splash of stock or water until their centers reach 165°F.
3. Reheat the fries and broccoli on separate sheet pans at 425°F until hot and lightly crisped, checking the broccoli first.
4. Warm the sauce gently over low heat, whisking in a little water if thickened; avoid a hard boil.
5. For a different meal, slice a reheated burger over chopped roasted broccoli and sweet potato, then spoon the warm sauce over the meat.