Ingredients
  • 8 slices smoky bacon, halved across
  • 2 green or very under-ripe, firm tomatoes
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Flour, for dredging
  • 2 eggs or egg whites, beaten
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup corn meal
  • 1/3 cup grated Parm cheese
  • A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • Canola or light olive oil, for shallow frying plus a drizzle
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef - sirloin for leaner burgers or chuck for buttery burgers
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons grated onion and its juice
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Franks Red Hot, eyeball the amount
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball the amount
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 clove garlic, grated or pasted by finely chopping and mashing with salt
  • A few tablespoons minced fresh chives
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 8 slider rolls or dinner size brioche rolls, split
  • 1 head tender lettuce, such as Bibb or butter
Preparation

Bake bacon in preheated oven at 375F to crisp on slotted pan in middle of oven, 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, trim tops and bottoms of tomatoes and slice into 4 slices each, no more than 1/2-inch thick. Salt the sliced tomatoes on each side and drain on a doubled paper towel for a few minutes then season with a little pepper. Dredge the tomatoes in flour, then coat in egg whites, then in breadcrumbs mixed with cornmeal, Parm and parsley. Heat 1/8 inch of oil in skillet over medium to medium-high heat and cook to golden and crisp, a few minutes on each side. Cool on cooling rack.

Combine meat with grated onion, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Form 8

3-ounce slider-size patties, drizzle with a little oil. Heat large griddle or non-stick skillet and cook patties a couple of minutes on each side.

Combine sour cream with garlic, chives, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a dash or 2 of hot sauce, if you like.

Place burgers on bun bottoms. Top each slider burger with 2 slices of halved, cooked bacon, tender lettuce leaves, a fried slice of green tomato, sour cream and chive sauce and bun tops.