In creating the character Rudy Delgado, the male lead in novel, Comfort Foods, I had to get into the head of a creative chef. Not knowing what that space would look like when I began writing, I decided a pan, a knife, and good ingredients would be a leaping off point. Here’s a recipe for burger sliders and bacon jam, that Rudy might approve.

Burger Sliders: 1lb. ground sirloin, 1 lb. ground sirloin, 4 tablespoons salted butter (room temperature), steak seasoning/salt/pepper to taste. Mix all together by hand, and shape into slider sized patties. Indent the middle to allow juices to collect. Grill on a 350 degree surface, until cooked through. Serve with toasted Brioche buns (buttered and grilled) and bacon jam.

Bacon Jam: 1 packaged thick sliced bacon, 3 large shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, dash of Worcestershire Sauce. Cook bacon in a hot skillet, remove when cooked. In remaining bacon fat sauce onions and garlic, until tender and liquid reduced. Add in brown sugar, and return cooked bacon to the mixture, stirring to coat. Add balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce. Let simmer for 30 minutes until thickened. Serve warm or room temperature over burgers.

To round out a menu that might be served from the grill, consider adding sweet corn on the cob and a potato salad. Enjoy!