Matt Healy creates the ultimate burger for Yorkshire with M&S

Horsforth-based chef and owner of The Foundry restaurant, Matt Healy, has been selected by M&S as one of eight finalists in a UK wide burger competition. This summer the retailer has launched its ‘Best Ever Burger’ and, to put it to the test, challenged top chefs across the country to create the ultimate burger topping recipe for their hometown, showcasing the very best regional flavours and produce.

M&S’s Best Ever Burger features a mouth-watering combination of short rib, chuck steak and bone marrow for ultimate succulence, providing the base for Matt Healy’s creation. Taking inspiration from the Yorkshire region, Matt Healy’s recipe includes a punchy mix of Yorkshire Chorizo, Yorkshire Blue and a homemade Rhubarb Ketchup.

Matt Healy, Owner and Head Chef at The Foundry, said: “As a Yorkshire lad with a reputation for presenting good, honest food, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to create a hearty burger which celebrates local produce. The Yorkshire Chorizo offers a touch of heat which tones down the strength of the Yorkshire Blue and complements the tang of pickled chicory and aromatic Rhubarb Ketchup. Combined, the local ingredients allow M&S’s Best Ever Burger patty to shine through and I hope people enjoy making and eating this recipe as much as I have!”

Kirsty Adams, M&S’s Beef Product Developer and one of the creators of ‘Our Best Ever Burger’, added: “The burger is having a serious moment and we wanted to celebrate just how diverse and delicious it can be by partnering with some amazing chefs. It took a year to develop Our Best Ever Burger and it’s now our fastest selling summer product, which is a restaurant quality patty that can be enjoyed at home. We were excited to see how the chefs put their regional twist on it and we weren’t disappointed. Matt’s creation really captures a taste of Yorkshire – it’s definitely one to try at home!”

Renowned Chef and London restaurateur, Neil Rankin, was the challenge’s head judge alongside Karen Barnes, editor of delicious. magazine. Commenting on Matt’s recipe, Neil said: “Matt did a great job of incorporating some really distinctive Yorkshire flavours into his version of the Best Ever Burger. There was a lot going on which could have risked masking the flavour of the burger, but there were some really interesting ideas on show.”

Matt raised his national profile after appearing in Masterchef: The Professionals in 2016. He opened his first restaurant, The Foundry Wine Bar and Restaurant in May this year, returning to Leeds after a number of years working under the likes of Simon Shaw at the original El Gato Negro – the only Manchester City Centre restaurant to hold a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

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RECIPE & METHOD

Ingredients   2 x M&S Best Ever Burgers 2 x M&S Brioche Buns 2 white chicory hearts 300ml white wine vinegar Crumbled Yorkshire Blue cheese* Sliced Yorkshire chorizo*   ** The Yorkshire Blue cheese and Yorkshire chorizo can be replaced with M&S Blacksticks Blue and M&S Chorizo Rhubarb Ketchup 350g rhubarb (chopped into dice size pieces) ½ a white onion (diced) 1 x bay leaf 5g fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated) 1tsp allspice powder ½ tsp caraway seeds 1 x star anise 50ml red wine vinegar 50ml water 65g caster sugar 4g flaked sea salt
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Method:   In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, add the rhubarb, onion, bay leaf and ginger.  Cook over a low heat until the rhubarb starts to break down. (45 mins approx.) Toast the star anise, allspice and caraway in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Pound in a pestle and mortar or blitz in a spice grinder. Blitz the cooked rhubarb mixture, with the bay leaves and ginger, to a fine pulp in a blender. Add the blitzed rhubarb pulp, vinegar, water, sugar, salt and ground spices to a saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cook 15-20 minutes until you achieve a thick ketchup consistency, stirring frequently so it doesn’t catch. Pass through a fine sieve, set aside. Cut the chicory hearts in half lengthways then each half into 3 pieces lengthways, keeping root attached.  Pour the vinegar and sugar into a saucepan, bring to a boil and whisk until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat, add the chopped chicory hearts to liquid and allow to cool before removing from the liquid and refrigerating. Cook the patties according to packet instructions.  Spread the mayo liberally on the bottom half of the burger bun, then place the cooked patty on top. Crumble the Yorkshire Blue cheese over the top.   Lay 2 or 3 pieces of the pickled chicory on top of the cheese then 3 slices of chorizo on top of that. Spread the top half of the bun with plenty of rhubarb ketchup and pop on top of the burger.