Announcing Burger and Fries Friday: Surf and Turf Burgers with Spicy Caramelized Onion Mayonnaise

I'm beyond thrilled to announce a new weekly feature here at Cassie Craves: Burger and Fries Friday!

Food-wise, there are few things I enjoy more than a really good burger, and I'm always bookmarking burger recipes that I'd like to try. What better way to ensure that I try some of them than to commit to making a different burger every Friday for...well, for as long as I can? And that's the goal of this whole little idea of mine: to cook a new burger recipe every Friday. Maybe sometimes I'll get creative with the "fries" portion, too, but I'm not promising anything. I think it goes without saying that Joe is definitely on-board with this idea.

For my inaugural Burger and Fries Friday post, here's a burger that looks and sounds fancy but is oh-so-simple to throw together: a surf and turf burger with spicy caramelized onion mayonnaise. This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens, and it was chosen by my dear husband. A burger with chopped shrimp mixed right in -- what a brilliant idea, huh? Brilliant, and ultimately delicious. We both really liked these burgers and loved the flavor of the caramelized onions in the mayo. The recipe, slightly adapted, is listed below.

Feel free to join in the fun and cook some burgers with me, if you're so inclined! You can even grab that nifty little badge if you want. (I just had to mention it because I made it myself and I'm so proud of it.) (Okay, that's not entirely true; the clip art was free, I just added the text.) (But still, I'm pretty proud of that darn thing.)

Surf and Turf Burgers with Spicy Caramelized Onion Mayonnaise
Source: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
4 ounces peeled and cooked baby shrimp, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 large rolls, split

Lettuce and sliced tomatoes for serving (optional)

1. To make mayonnaise, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion in hot oil for 7 minutes or until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Season with cayenne pepper. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl; cover and chill. Stir mayonnaise into chilled onion mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to serve. (This can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Keep covered in refrigerator until ready to serve.)

2. Combine ground beef, shrimp, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. Shape mixture into 4 patties about 1 inch thick.

3. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet. Place burger patties in skillet and cook until desired doneness, turning burgers once halfway through grilling.

4. Toast rolls, if desired; serve burgers on rolls. Top with the mayonnaise, and, if desired, lettuce and sliced tomatoes.