Fireworks, Bourbon and Burgers

To celebrate our nation’s independence, we’ve partnered with Chef Lamar Moore and Dessert Diva Danette Randall to build a special Four Roses-inspired meal that your friends and family are sure to enjoy.

Lamar is a Chicago-born celebrity chef who gained notoriety competing on shows like Welcome to Waverly, Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, and he earned the position of head chef at Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse while competing in the Food Network Vegas Prize Fight competition. Today, he heads up the kitchen at Eleven Eleven in Chicago.

Danette is known for making boozy treats, and we know these Four Roses lemon bars are sure to be a favorite this season. 

Check out the recipes below and don’t forget to share your masterpieces with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. For an added bonus, pair the meal with any one of our sweet & spicy summer cocktails made with Four Roses Small Batch and Barritt’s Ginger Beer.
 
Grilled Kale Burger with Four Roses Bourbon Mayonnaise
Created by Chef Lamar Moore

For this recipe, the chef prefers to use burgers made from a blend of Angus and brisket. You can prepare the burgers from scratch or use pre-made burgers.

Chef’s note: You will want to make your bourbon mayo ahead of time and refrigerate. You can fry the kale just before the burgers hit the grill.
 
Fried Kale

1. Prep the kale by washing the leaves and patting dry. The chef recommends curly kale, as opposed to the flatter Tuscan kale.

2. Place the kale in fryer at 350-degrees or air fryer and fry until crisp. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.

 
Four Roses Bourbon Mayo

1 cup                             Mayonnaise
1/4 cup                        Four Roses Small Batch
3 cloves                       Roasted garlic, minced
1 tsp                             Lemon zest
                                     Salt and pepper, to taste
 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Cover and chill.

 
ASSEMBLY

1. Grill your burgers over medium-high heat until done.

2. Just before the burgers are done, top with cheddar cheese and let cheese melt over patty.

3. Place patty on bun and top with kale. Spread mayo on patty and underside of the bun topping the burger.

Chefs note: I added bacon jam to the burger. You can choose any jam you like or omit. Use a skewer to add color and pizazz and garnish with a cornichon or grape tomato.
 
Creamy Bourbon Lemon Bars with Candied Lemon Peel
Created by Dessert Diva Danette Randall

Graham Cracker Crust 

1 3/4 cup                     Graham cracker crumbs (12-13 full sheet graham crackers) 
1/4 cup                        Granulated sugar
7 tbs                             Unsalted butter, melted
1 tbs                              Four Roses Small Batch 
 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

2. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper and leave an overhang to make pulling out of pan simple.

3. Place graham cracker crumbs in medium bowl, stir in sugar. Melt butter slowly in microwave, stir bourbon into butter. Pour butter/bourbon mixture over crackers and sugar. Stir until combined. 

4. Press down into prepared pan. Make sure crumbs are really packed tight. 

5. Bake for 10 minutes, until you start to smell it, and edges are turning golden. Take out and let cool down while you make lemon filling. 

 
Creamy Bourbon Lemon Filling

5                                   Large egg yolks
14 oz (one can)          Sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup                       Fresh-squeezed lemon juice (approx. 3 lemons, maybe 4 if small)
2 tbs                            Four Roses Small Batch
                                     Zest from one lemon
                                     Powdered sugar (optional)
 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. In large bowl, whisk egg yolks and condensed milk. Stir in zest, lemon juice, and bourbon. Mix until it comes together. 

2. Pour over baked graham cracker crust. Place in 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until center is set. Cool in pan. 

3. After bars have cooled down, place in refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours. 

4. Using paper overhang, pull out of pan. Cut into 16 smaller squares or 12 larger squares. Dust with powdered sugar and top with candied lemon peel. Place on a pretty platter and enjoy!

 
Candied Lemon Peel

1                                   Lemon
1/2 cup                       Water (plus more to get bitterness out)
1/2 cup                       Granulated sugar
 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut lemon into slices about 1/4 inch thick and then cut the slices in half so that they aren’t a circle, but a strip.

2. Place lemon in medium saucepan, fill with water and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then dump out hot water, and replace with fresh water.

Chef’s note: I prefer leaving the pulp on the lemon but remove if you want to.

3. Boil again for 5 minutes and dump out. Repeat this process 3-4 times to get the bitterness out of the lemon rind and pith. After the last time draining, take out the peels and set aside.

4. Place 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar back in pan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and add peels. Simmer until peels are coated in syrup, and syrup is thickening. Take peels out of pan with fork, and place on parchment paper. Let dry. Toss with extra sugar. Leave long strips or cut up smaller to place on lemon bars. 

 
CHEF’S NOTES & TIPS: 

1. When making the crust, use a flat-bottom glass to really pack the crumbs down. The tighter it is, the better, as thicker crust holds up under the filling.

2. Do not over mix the lemon filling. Too much air while whisking the eggs will produce a white layer of air bubbles on top. It will still taste great and you can cover with powdered sugar if this happens, but less whisking is best. 

3. Place the egg whites you aren’t using in this recipe in a storage container to make a nice little egg white scramble for yourself.

4. Please use fresh lemons. It is hands down the best. If for some reason you can’t, then look for Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lemon Juice… it’s the best. You can also use half lemons, half limes in this recipe. Make sure to squeeze lemon over a strainer to avoid seeds.

5. If you don’t have a zester for the lemon peel, just use the small side of a box grater. It works great. 

6. These bars are much better after being chilled, so I would suggest making the night before. They taste great for a few days if you keep in refrigerator. 

7. Save the lemon syrup from the candied lemon peel and add it to Four Roses over ice with a splash of lemonade. Garnish with a candied lemon peel. 

8. Top these bars with raspberries or your favorite berry. Makes a great presentation and adds an extra pop of flavor.

9. Check your bars a few minutes before my recommended baking time. All ovens bake different. You want it to just be set up, without a lot of wiggle if you move the pan. It will continue to bake a little when removed from oven.

10. Keep this recipe in your dessert rotation. It’s a crowd pleaser.