Kentucky Burgoo Burgers and Southern Succotash

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen lima beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup chopped frozen okra
• 1/2 cup chopped pickled green beans plus 1 tablespoon pickling juice
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves, from about 5 to 6 sprigs
• 2 to 3 scallions, chopped
• 4 sandwich-sized English muffins, split and buttered

Directions

Mix the meat with paprika, garlic, Worcestershire, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with a tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Form 4 large patties and make a indentation in the center of each burger to counteract the burger bulge that happens as the meat cooks. Cook burgers 6 minutes on each side, turning once.

Heat a small pot over medium heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it. Add onions and peppers, cook 8 to 10 minutes then add salt, pepper, vinegar and brown sugar. Stir 1 minute, add tomato sauce and reduce heat to low. Simmer 5 minutes.

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add limas, corn, okra, pickled beans, hot sauce, thyme, salt and pepper and cook to heat through 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in scallions and turn off heat.

Serve burgers on buttered toasted muffins with pepper and onion topping. Serve succotash alongside.