Ginger Beef Burgers & Soy Mayo

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Line a sheet pan with foil. Peel the carrots; halve crosswise, then quarter lengthwise. Transfer to the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and enough of the togarashi to coat (you may have extra). Toss to coat; arrange in an even layer. Roast 16 to 18 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, peel the ginger; finely chop to get 2 teaspoons (you may have extra). Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Thinly slice the cucumber into rounds; place in a bowl. Add the vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, soy glaze, and mayonnaise. If necessary, halve the buns.

In a bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, chopped ginger, sliced white bottoms of the scallions, and half the soy mayo; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix to combine. Form the mixture into two 1/2-inch-thick patties. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side (flipping carefully, as the oil may splatter), or until browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a work surface.

Add the halved buns, cut side down, to the pan of reserved fond (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Toast on medium-high 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface. Assemble the burgers using the toasted buns, remaining soy mayo, cooked patties, and marinated cucumber (discarding any liquid). Serve the burgers with the roasted carrots on the side. Garnish the carrots with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!