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The Sandwich 100 · make it at home

The chopped cheese

15 min · 2 heroes

A New York bodega classic: ground beef and onions chopped on the griddle with American cheese melted right in, scooped onto a hero with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mayo. Fast, cheap, perfect.

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The real one

You need

• 340 g (12 oz) ground beef, 20% fat
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp seasoning salt (or 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp paprika)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 slices American cheese
• 2 soft hero rolls (about 20 cm / 8 in)
• 1 tbsp butter
• Shredded iceberg lettuce, 1 sliced tomato
• Ketchup and mayonnaise

How to make it

1. Toast the rolls (2 min): Split the rolls, butter the insides and toast them cut side down on a hot griddle or skillet until golden. Set aside.
2. Cook the onions (3 min): In the same pan over medium-high heat, cook the onion in a little oil until soft and starting to brown.
3. Chop the beef (5 min): Add the beef in one flat patty, season, and let it brown hard 2 minutes. Then chop it into small crumbles with the edge of a metal spatula, mixing in the onions, until cooked through.
4. Melt the cheese (1 min): Push the meat into two long piles the length of your rolls, lay 2 slices of cheese over each, splash a spoon of water beside them and cover 30 seconds until melted. Chop the cheese in.
5. Build (2 min): Spread the rolls with mayo and ketchup, add lettuce and tomato, then slide each pile of beef in with the spatula. Wrap in paper and cut in half.

Tips

• Real American cheese melts best; a sharp cheddar breaks and gets oily.
• Add chopped jalapeño or hot sauce to the beef for a spicy one.

Chef Amazing's own home version, in our words; not any shop's recipe.