Hamburger (continued)

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     This is from THE CATERER AND HOUSEHOLD MAGAZINE, August 1885, pg. 435, col. 1:

     "Innominatus" writes desiring the best mode of cooking a Hamburger Steak.
     This dish, when well prepared, is, as our correspondent evidently knows, a dish not to be despised.  Yet, as he says, the various cook-books, from Francatelli (Gotta check this--ed.) down, are generally silent regarding the mode of its preparation.  We have tried a Hamburger cooked in the following method and know of no manner in which it can be improved.
     A HAMBURGER STEAK.
     In the first place the steak itself must be good.  Any economy practiced in this respect toward the Hamburger will be just as fatal to its excellence as to that of any other mode of cooking a steak.  A good sirloin or a good rump, entirely free from any stringiness, should be used, and the proportion of fat, to lean, to please most tastes would probably be one fourth, or perhaps a little less, of the former and three-fourths of the latter.  The meat should be minced very finely, and seasoned thus: For each half-pound of the meat add two teaspoonfuls of finely-minced onion, a half of a clove of garlic also chopped very fine, and pepper and salt, a half a teaspoonful of each of the two latter would probably suit most palates.  After the seasoning is thoroughly mixed through it, the meat is to be formed into rather thin cakes and fried, on both sides, in butter, the pan, of course, being thoroughly heated before the meat is put in; when done, dish up and serve with the gravy!
 poured over it, garnishing with Lyonnaise potatoes.  Many persons may object to the addition of garlic and onion, and the steak can, of course, be prepared without them; yet in that case it is hardly entitled to the name of Hamburger.