Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina is a town that is very concerned about environmental conservation.The “Go Green” Burger uses all organic ingredients, these ingredients are grown with the environment in mind and are much healthier for us since they are grown and processed with renewal and nature in mind. The Asheville “Go Green” Burger can be enjoyed knowing that you have pure ingredients in it and all the care and taste you could want.

Ingredients:

2 lbs organic ground beef (such as Hickory Nut Gap)
10 oz Log or roll of Organic Goat Cheese
1 1/2 cups Organic Balsamic Vinegar
6 Organic Tomatoes
2 Organic Vidalia Onions
4 Organic Shallots
3 cups Organic Olive Oil
10 Cloves Organic Garlic
2 Cups Organic Basil
3 Organic Zucchini
3 Organic Yellow Squash
2 cups Organic Arugula
6 Organic Ciabatta Buns
1/2 cup toasted Organic Hazel Nuts
Sea Salt
Organic Pepper

Instructions:

To marinate Goat Cheese:

If not in a roll form, place the goat cheese on a sheet of plastic wrap, about 12 inches long and roll it into a cylinder about 8 inches long slice into 12 equal sized rounds. Dice the organic shallots and place in a bowl with 1/2 cup organic olive oil, 1 minced clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon crushed organic black pepper, 2 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar and mix with a wire whisk. Place the organic goat cheese into the bowl and gently mix, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to marinate.

For Hazelnut Pesto:

Pour 1/2 cup organic hazelnuts into a small skillet and lightly toast them on the grill. Remove from grill and roll to take as much of the skin off as possible. Place two cups organic basil, 1/2 cup organic olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and the toasted pine nuts into a food processor and blend well. Place into a small bowl and set aside for future use.

For Onions:

Peal the organic Vidalia onions and slice them into rings approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place 2 tablespoons organic olive oil into a medium cast iron skillet and heat. Add the sliced onions, three cloves garlic minced, 1/3 cup organic balsamic vinegar and caramelize the onions (for about 15-20 minutes) adding salt and pepper to taste. Place the onions into a small bowl and set aside for future use.

For zucchini and yellow squash:

Cut the ends off of the organic zucchini and organic yellow squash. Use a mandolin and slice them very thinly, about 1/8 inch thick. Place the sliced zucchini and squash into a bowl and salt and pepper to taste and set aside to marinate.

For Charred Tomatoes:

Cut organic tomatoes in half and lightly baste with Organic Olive oil. Salt and pepper them to taste. Place the tomato halves on the grill face up to grill on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until skins are charred. Remove from heat and rough dice them and place in a bowl. Gently mix with 2 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon minced organic garlic.

For Burgers:

Place the 2 lbs Organic Ground Beef into a large bowl. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and mix to incorporate. Divide the mixture evenly into 6, 1/3 lb patties. Grill the burger patties on a medium heat until medium or your desired temperature. Turning once or twice as you grill with a pair of tongs. (approximately 15 minutes)

For buns:

Take 1/2 cup organic olive oil and mix with 3 minced garlic gloves, adding salt and pepper. Slice each bun in half and lightly baste with the olive oil mixture. Quickly grill the buns, face down to obtain some grill lines and toast them.

For plating:

Place bottom bun on a plate. Drizzle a tablespoon of pesto on the bun and cover with a small amount of Organic Arugula. Place the burger patty on the arugula. Place about 4-5 slices of zucchini/yellow squash on the patties then the patty with two slices of the marinated Organic goat cheese. Then, add 1-2 tablespoons of the caramelized onions and finish with another drizzle of the pesto. Place the top bun on its side next to the burger and serve.