Submitted by Brenda Watts

About the cook: Married 38yrs,3 grown children, 4 grand children . Cook/Bake & Recipe Contest...My Faith, Family, Friends and Cooking are my Loves & Life 🙂

About the dish: I wanted to think outside of the box, plus pay tribute to my husband and my native american heritage. The bread is a Navajo Fry Bread, the burger is Pemmican meat patties, for the topping I made my own spin of a corn egg salad and for the fries I made corn fritter fries. Hope you all enjoy as much as my family did.

National Origin: Native-American

Serves: 4

Estimated Time: 1 to 2 Hours

Ingredients:

(For Navajo Fry Bread)-

3 cups all-purpose flour,
1 tablespoon baking powder,
1 tablespoon granulated sugar,
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning,
1 teaspoon baking soda,
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt,
1 cup buttermilk,
1/2 cup spring water,
canola oil or peanut oil for frying,

(For Baked Corn Fritter Fries)-

1 & 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal,
1 cup all-purpose flour,
1/4 cup granulated sugar,
2 teaspoons baking powder,
1 teaspoon baking soda,
1 teaspoon kosher salt,
2 large eggs,
1 & 1/4 cups buttermilk,
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted,
2/3 cup whole-kernel corn,
3 tablespoons mayonnaise,
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted,
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese,

(For Corn Egg Salad Topping)-

8 hard boiled eggs, chopped,
1/2 cup whole kernel corn,
1/2 cup red onion, chopped,
1/3 cup kosher dill pickles, chopped,
1/3 cup celery, chopped,
!/2 teaspoon kosher salt,
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds,
1/2 cup mayonnaise,
1 tablespoon creamy Dijon Mustard,

(For Pemmican meat patties)-

2 pounds ground venison, or ground buffalo or ground chuck,
1/2 cup dried currants or golden raisins,
1/2 cup fully cooked bacon, crumbled,
1/3 cup pine nuts, crushed,
1/3 cup gouda cheese, finely shredded,
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning burger patties,

(For Burger Assemble and Serving Garnish)-

6 butter lettuce leaves,
12 roma tomato slices,
6 rounded tablespoons hamburger sauce, (or thousand island sauce can be substituted),
1/4 cup fresh sweet red pepper slices,
1/4 cup fresh jalapeno pepper slices,
1/2 cup spicy mayonnaise blended sauce,(or 3 tablespoons chili sauce plus 1/2 cup plain mayonnaise can be blended to substitute),

Preparation:

1.) Prepare Navajo Fry Bread for burgers. In a large bowl, mix 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt together with a whisk or spoon. Add 1 cup buttermilk and spring water to dry ingredients, stirring together to blend, until soft dough forms. Over a clean work surface area, divide dough into 12 equal dough balls, cut or tear off 12 small sheets of parchment paper, (about 7-inches wide each), and lightly spray one side of each sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Working with one dough ball at a time, place dough ball onto the center edge of greased side sheet of each paper, and fold the paper in half, over each dough ball to cover. Using a rolling pin, press each dough ball lightly into a 4-inch round. Carefully, remove each dough round from paper and add dough round into hot oil in skillet, about 2 or 3 dough rounds at a time, cook for 1 to 2 minutes, on each side until lightly golden brown. Using same cooking process until all dough rounds are cooked. Drain Navajo Fry Bread over a wire rack that has been covered well with several sheets paper towels. Let bread cool and drain, and keep warm until ready to assemble and serve.

2.) Prepare Baked Corn Fritter Fries. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a medium size baking sheet pan with sides, with a large sheet of parchment paper; set aside. In another large bowl, mix cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt and stir or whisk together until combined. Add 2 eggs, 1 & 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1/4 cup butter melted, 2/3 cup corn and 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and stir together to blend or until fritter mixture is smooth. Spoon and evenly spread fritter mixture onto bottom of prepared baking sheet pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Place pan over onto a wire cooling rack, and using a pastry brush, brush the top with remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter evenly, and sprinkle the top evenly with parmesan cheese. Using a pizza cutter or sharp serrated knife, cut into the middle center of baked corn fritter in half lengthwise and then cut vertically into 1-inch wide fritter fries. Keep warm until ready to serve.

3.) Prepare Corn Egg Salad Topping. In a medium bowl, add hard boiled eggs, 1/2 cup corn, red onion, dill pickles, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds and toss together until combined. Add 1/2 cup mayonnaise and mustard to salad mixture and stir to toss together until mixture is blended and coated well with mayonnaise and mustard to form Corn Egg Salad Topping for burgers. Cover the bowl with a large sheet of plastic wrap and keep chilled in refrigerator, until ready to assemble and serve.

4.) Prepare Pemmican meat patties. In another large bowl, add ground venison or ground buffalo or ground chuck, dried currants, crumbled bacon, crushed pine nuts and shredded gouda cheese. and mix together until combined. Shape burger meat mixture into 6 evenly sized patties. Season the sides of each burger meat patty lightly with salt and ground pepper. Heat gas, charcoal, or electric grill to medium-high heat level. Brush the grill grates or grill top lightly with olive oil. Place the burger meat patties onto the heated grill, cook for 3 minutes, on each side, or until patties are cooked medium, (internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F.). Place grilled cooked meat patties onto a large plate that has been lined with several sheets of paper towels to drain any excess grease. Keep burger patties warm until ready to assemble and serve.

5.) Assemble burgers and fritter fries to serve. Assemble each of the Navajo Nation Burgers. Place a Navajo bread piece onto 6 individual serving plates. Add over each placed bread serving in following layers, a serving of butter lettuce over top, then 2 slices of tomatoes, a rounded tablespoon of burger sauce lightly spread over tomato slices, add a burger patty, 2 rounded tablespoons corn egg salad and garnish top of each burger with 2 to 3 sweet red pepper slices, 2 to 3 jalapeno pepper slices. Serve open face burgers or place remaining bread over each to top and serve. Place corn fritter fries along side in a basket or shallow individual 6 serving plates with sides and serve with dipping sauce in a small serving bowl or 6 smaller individual serving bowls alongside for fries. Serve remaining corn egg salad in a serving bowl alongside. Serve and enjoy. Recipes serves 4 to 6.

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