Simple Pan Sauce Turns Ordinary Hamburger Patty into Something Special

You've just come home from a tough day at the office and you are really too exhausted to cook up something special. You've decided to settle for frying up hamburger patties. How about turning them into Hamburger au Poivre?

You need some dried minced onions, a few grinds of black pepper, and some beef broth.  If you want to take this to the next level you could:

• Substitute demi-glace for the beef broth. 
• Coarsely grind whole peppercorns in a mortar and pestle.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you how to fry a hamburger patty (Let's call it saute. it sounds so much more elegant.) When the patties have reached their desired level of doneness remove then from the pan and tent with foil. 

Pour a cup of beef broth into the pan and deglaze it.  Add the minced onion and pepper. Let the broth reduce a bit to whatever consistency you desire. To serve, put the hamburger patty on a plate and pour a little of the sauce on top.