“It was a short leap then to add the piquancy of a Cabrales blue (cheese), which complements the beef component of the burger,” she said. “Can you say ‘party on my plate’?”

Martinez is a big believer in big flavor in her burgers, and over the years says she has enjoyed many variations, including ones made from Kobe beef and seafood, even veggie varieties. But in the end, her blueprint for a great burger goes back to her childhood.

“Some of my fondest hamburger memories involve making homemade patties with my dad when I was little. He would season them with salt, fresh ground pepper and onion powder, then we would grill them over charcoal briquettes in our backyard, and the result was a slightly charred burger on the outside that was pink and juicy on the inside,” she said.

For the topping, it was beefsteak tomatoes and lettuce fresh from her mother’s garden, as well as her “salsa golf” (a mayo-ketchup blend).

“That was a little bit of heaven, right there on our plate,” she said. “Nothing compares to the burgers of my youth, made with love by Mom and Dad.”

BARCELONA BURGER

Start to Finish: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

1 pound ground beef

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced

4 fresh figs, halved

4 large hamburger buns

1/4 pound Cabrales or other blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 pound serrano ham, thinly sliced (prosciutto also can be used)

Form the beef into 4 equal patties, then season each with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise with the lemon zest. Set aside.

In a large skillet over high, add the water, olive oil and onions. Cook until the water is completely evaporated, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and completely caramelized. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Heat a grill to medium-high. Coat the grates with cooking spray.

Place the beef patties on the grill, cover and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Season the figs with pepper, then place on the grill cut-side up. Place the buns on the grill cut-side up, as well. Sprinkle the bottom halves of the buns with the blue cheese. Cover the grill and cook for 1 minute.

To assemble, place each beef patty on a bun half with the melted cheese. Top with 2 slices of ham, 2 grilled fig halves and a dollop of the caramelized onions. Spread the remaining toasted bun halves with lemon mayonnaise, then top the burger.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 658 calories; 333 calories from fat; 37 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 104 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrate; 39 g protein; 3 g fiber; 1,381 mg sodium.

Except the meat, that is.

“So what we did was we looked at their burgers carefully and studied the proportions, and then of course did the same thing, but with great meat,” he said. “We’re using sirloin mostly, but it’s the fat content and ratio of fat to meat that is very important.”

And don’t forget a great bun. Ripert favored a fresh challah bun for his perfect burger.

Westend Bistro Burger
Serves: 4

For AP’s 20 Burgers of Summer series, Stewart offered one of her favorites, a chicken burger with Japanese flavors, including wasabi, ginger and soy sauce.

“You will love it,” she said.

Just be sure not to press the burger, which compacts the meat.

So Bayless whose restaurants include Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago decided to deconstruct the queso fundido a bit, adding the chorizo to the burger itself and using the melted cheese, roasted peppers and caramelized onions as toppings.

“For me, it needs to be grilled and have a nice balance between bun and meat,” said Bayless, who recently prepared President Barack Obama’s second state dinner. “Too much of either isn’t good, nor is too many add-ons. Balance is key, both in ingredients and flavors.”

QUESO FUNDIDO BURGER

Start to finish: 45 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 fresh medium poblano chilies

2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

1-1/2 pounds ground chuck

8 ounces chorizo, crumbled and cooked (browned in a skillet)

1 to 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, finely minced (seeded if desired)

8 thick slices Monterey Jack cheese

4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted

DIRECTIONS:

One at a time, use tongs to hold the chilies over a gas burner, turning until well charred, about 5 minutes. You also can set the chilies under a broiler for about 10 minutes, turning regularly. Place the chilies in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let cool. Rub off the blackened skin and pull out and discard the stems and seed pods. Cut the chilies into 1/4-inch strips.

In a medium skillet over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute until it begins to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and poblanos and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, cooked chorizo, chipotles and 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt. Mix until well combined. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high, or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash (about medium hot); bank the coals to one side.

Place the hamburger patties on the grill and cook for a total of 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare. Lay one piece of cheese on top of each burger, top with the warm onions and chilies, then another piece of cheese. Close the lid of the grill and continue cooking until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Remove from the grill and slide onto a toasted bun.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 798 calories; 435 calories from fat; 48 g fat (19 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 180 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrate; 62 g protein; 4 g fiber; 1,469 mg sodium.

That’s because Love — whose Fort Worth, Texas, restaurants include The Lonesome Dover Western Bistro and a burger joint called The Love Shack — takes his burgers seriously.

“I do have a passion for burgers. I think a cheeseburger is one of those four or five foods that are so simple” it has to be done right, he said.

And he marvels at the versatility of burgers. “It can go from a road stop pick-up-and-go food to being a sit-down-with-a-white-tablecloth thing. Which is what makes it so tremendous,” he said.

For Love, creating a tremendous burger meant not just perfecting the blend and grind of meat, but also seasoning it from the inside out, rather than just on the outside.

He even created his own game rub (he’s a big fan of wild game) to do it with, a blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic, rosemary and thyme.

After that, he goes for the classic finish — special sauce, tomatoes, pickles and American cheese.

The Love Burger

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

10 ounces sirloin steak tips

10 ounces beef brisket, trimmed of fat and cut into small chunks

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 hamburger buns

4 slices American cheese

Shredded iceberg lettuce

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Bread and butter pickles

In a food processor, combine the sirloin and brisket. Pulse until ground. Transfer the meat to a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper, then gently mix. Divide the meat and form into 4 equal patties.

Lightly toast the hamburger buns, then set aside.

Grill the patties for 2 1/2 minutes per side for medium. During the final minute of grilling, top each burger with a slice of cheese.

To assemble the burgers, top each bun bottom with a burger, lettuce, tomato slices and pickles.

Spread a generous amount of Love Sauce over the top half of the bun, then set it over the burger.

GAME RUB

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Makes 1/4 cup

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

3/4 ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 tablespoon dried rosemary

1/4 tablespoon dried thyme

1/4 tablespoon garlic powder

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients.

LOVE SAUCE

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Makes 1 cup

1/2 fresh Serrano chili

1/4 cup bread and butter pickle chips

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup ketchup

Splash white vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons game rub spice blend (see recipe above)

In a food processor, combine the chili and pickles. Pulse until finely chopped.

Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well mixed. Set aside.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 738 calories; 405 calories from fat; 45 g fat (13 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 115 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 47 g protein; 2 g fiber; 2,043 mg sodium.