Movie Foods - Cheeseburger - Ocean's Eleven (2001)

I recall sitting at the movies, and when I saw Brad Pitt eating on that scene near the end; I started salivating. All of a sudden, the popcorn and soda I was holding was not enough. That is why I decided to start making this video series. Yes, it is thirteen years later, but that's a testament on the impact that scene had on me.

I had to look at the movie again to figure out what Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) was eating throughout the film, and he is eating in a lot of scenes. Here is what he is eating: nachos in his first scene; a sandwich, a slushy, and a soda during the recruiting scenes; whatever was available during the eleven's first meeting; a salad in the hotel room; a lollipop when talking to the stripper; shrimp cocktail when he realizes Tess (Julia Roberts) is involved; and the cheeseburger while he is waiting outside a prison -- Now, I am sure I missed some because most of these food scenes happen in short scenes, and you have to be paying attention to notice - during Rusty's heavy dialogue scenes, he does not eat; except the shrimp cocktail scene - why eat shrimp cocktail standing is beyond me.

So, for this recipe, I picked out the foods that really stood out for me: those are the nachos, the shrimp, and the cheeseburger. Now, for this recipe I opted to not put some shrimp on cocktail sauce; instead, I decided to base my shrimp on Jamaican peppered shrimp...

Anyways, onto the recipe

Nacho Cheese:
- 1 Jalapeno
- 250g cheese (grated)
- 2tsp tomato paste
- 2 shallots
- 1tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1tbsp butter
- 2tsp flour
- 2 shots (3oz) tequila
- 1/4 cup milk

Easy mode: get some nacho cheese sauce from the store, add some pickled jalapenos; spread that bitch on the burger.

You can use different types of cheese, monterrey jack would be nice - I couldn't find it.
I used tomato paste, but you can use half a tomato instead.
When it comes to the tequila, you don't have to light it up. I just did that so that the alcohol would wear off quicker, and to make sure that it doesn't light without me knowing. So yes, I do recommend doing that.
I added very little milk (which you can substitute with cream or buttermilk) so that it would set back into a cheese.

Peppered Shrimp
Brine: 1/4 cup salt; 1/4 cup sugar; 2 cups of water (soak the shrimp for about 30 - 40 minutes)
- 1/2 pound shrimp
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 habanero peppers
- 2 tsp of allspice

Easy mode: get some pre-cooked shrimp, follow instructions. Add some tabasco sauce on that bitch. Hell, drench it on cocktail sauce for all I care.

It is always recommended you brine the shrimp. Brining helps with flavor and tenderness of the meat.
You can do the recipe with shrimp out of the shell, but the shell is where the flavor is at.
To make it a more authentic Jamaican dish, you'd add a myriad of spices such as cumin, lemon peppers, etc. These blends tend to be "secret" variations depending on who you ask. I decided to keep mine simple.
Always remember to handle the habanero peppers carefully, so use gloves. Skip this, and if you touch any sensitive part on your body, you will pay for it. Also, you can keep the seeds on for more fire.

Burger Patty
- 300g ground beef
- 2 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- butter to coat

Easy mode: just buy prepared patty for the market.

Yes, you can use your own recipe for your patties if you like. There are tons of variations out there, and you probably have your own version. Personally, I like to keep my burger patties simple. Adding spices, herbs or an egg masks the meat flavor of the burger, that is why I opt for the simple. The flavor is in the condiments, and in this case, the cheese.
Be careful when adding the salt, it is easy to get the meat salty.
Adding butter at the end helps the meat absorb the butter in.
Don't forget to let the meat rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes. It helps the juices permeate the meat, this applies to pretty much every meat out there.

Lastly, always toast your buns. Not only does it add flavor and texture, but it helps the bun keep its structure.