Cool Recipe Alert: King cake burger

Need some last-minute flair for Mardi Gras? Just follow the lead of Lenny Martinsen, executive chef with Centerplate at New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the Smoothie King Center.

“When you come to a Centerplate venue, you’re getting the real local flavor of that city and a piece of what makes the city tick,” he says.

The king cake burger “epitomizes New Orleans,” Martinsen adds. This sweet-and-savory burger was created for Mardi Gras this week, but the response has been so positive that it will remain on the menu indefinitely, keeping the good times rolling.

It’s simple to create the same effect on your own burgers: buy or make a king cake, and shape it into buns! As a bonus, the smoky bacon-onion-chipotle spread can be used on any burger, not just for a Fat Tuesday-themed burger.

King cake burger with bacon-onion-chipotle spread 

YIELD: 8 burgers

For burgers:
8 beef or turkey burgers, grilled
enough king cake to make 8 buns

For spread:
4 cups cooked, crumbled bacon
4 cups caramelized onions, rough chopped
¼ cup chipotle peppers, chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Montreal steak seasoning
½ Tbsp. cinnamon
1 cup cream cheese, softened
¼ cup water 

For garnish:
Shredded lettuce and tomato, as needed

Photo and recipe: Centerplate