How Bobby Flay Puts A Greek Spin On Burgers

Bobby Flay has worked with a number of different cuisines, but he's never been afraid of cooking up a good burger and he's got strong opinions about how to do it. While Flay prefers just a couple of seasonings on his typical burgers, sometimes he branches out into more unorthodox takes. Case in point, Flay recently posted a video on his Instagram showing a step-by-step guide to what he called his Greektown Burger, a limited-time burger at his Bobby's Burgers restaurant which uses Mediterranean ingredients.

The centerpiece of this unusual, Hellenic burger is the Greek yogurt sauce, made with garlic, parsley, and lemon juice as well as crunchy, Mediterranean veggies like onions and cucumbers to give the sauce some texture. Naturally, to complete the scene, he sprinkled a healthy amount of feta — that most Greek of crumbly cheeses — onto the sauce. Lastly, and perhaps controversially, Bobby Flay cooks his burger to medium as he always does, but that's not what makes it Greek. Whatever your thoughts are on the ideal burger temperature, rest assured that Flay's makeshift tzatziki on top will be the most noticeable component between those two buns.

Flay's use of Greek yogurt is similar (but not identical) to tzatziki, which is a delicious concoction of Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and cucumber. It's a common sight in Greek households and it makes plenty of appearances whenever I'm with my own Greek family members. Flay's spin differs in that he combines it with a Greek salad, tossing in diced onions and parsley and lots of feta cheese. Feta can get added to tzatziki on occasion, but that addition adds a different sort of texture, especially when it's spread over a burger patty. That's because, unlike other cheeses, feta doesn't really melt. Instead, it keeps its crumbly form even when sprinkled over a steaming hot burger. 

If you take a shot at making one of Flay's Greektown burgers, more feta a plus since more contrast in texture is almost always a good thing in a dish (that's why Flay toasts his burger buns in the video). You might consider adding slices of tomato and cucumber instead of the diced veggies Flay mixes into his sauce. Either way, if you have any yogurt sauce leftover after the burger's been made, tzatziki is typically served as a dip for pita bread. You could easily do the same with your sauce for a side dish. It can also work as a tangy coleslaw dressing or a punchier mayonnaise substitute in tuna salad.