Clam Digger Chowder Burger

I love my wife’s homemade clam chowder…it is just AWESOME.Why not add it to a burger and have two of my most favorite meals at once!

Ingredients:

14 slices of thick peppered bacon

SUN-DRIED TOMATO BASIL TAPENADE

1 cup (3 oz package) sun-dried tomatoes, Julian cut and not packed in oil

2 cups very HOT water

½ cup loosely packed fresh basil, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, fresh minced

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

CHOWDER SAUCE

15.25 oz can of corn, drained

2 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, fresh minced

1/3 cup diced yellow onion

1 can minced clams (6.5 oz), drained, reserving juice and set aside

1 ½ cups heavy cream

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

dash of cayenne pepper (approx. 1/8 teaspoon)

2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh dill, finely chopped

2/3 cup 100% Idaho potato flakes

PATTIES

1 lb ground chuck

1 lb ground sirloin

1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper

6 slices of white sharp cheddar

¼ stick of butter for buns

2-3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing the grill

6 sourdough Kaiser buns

Instructions:

Preheat grill to medium. Place 14 slices of the peppered bacon on a cookie sheet, place sheet on rack and cook until crispy enough to crumble. Crumble bacon in bowl and set aside.

To prepare tapenade, place sun-dried tomatoes in bowl and add hot water. Let tomatoes steep in water for approx. 20 minutes. Drain water and finely chop tomatoes and return to the bowl. Add minced garlic, salt, basil, and oil to the tomatoes. Mix well and set aside.

To prepare the chowder sauce, turn grill to medium-low. When grill is ready, place corn in fire-proof sauce pan and brown for approx. 10 minutes, stirring as needed. Add butter, garlic, and onions. Sauté onions until tender. Turn grill to medium-high, add juice from clams, heavy cream, pepper, cayenne pepper, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage, and dill. Bring to a boil for approx. 7 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of boil add clams. Take off grill, stir in potato flakes to thicken and set aside.

To make patties, combine the ground chuck, sirloin, grated cheese, salt, and pepper in bowl. Lightly mix together, form into 6 patties.

Butter buns and set aside.

With grill on medium-high, brush rack with olive oil and place patties on rack. Cover and cook, turning once until done to preference. 4-5 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes place1 slice of sharp white cheddar on each patty and place buns, cut side down, on top rack to toast lightly.

To assemble burgers, equally spread 5-6 tablespoons chowder sauce on bun bottom. Place ¼ cup of crumbled bacon on the chowder sauce. Place patty on bacon and add 2 tablespoons tapenade on top of the patty. Add the bun tops and serve.

Makes 6 burgers.