Creamy dreamy horseradish asparagus burger with sweet and tangy red onion marmalade

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

Ingredients:

Patties
1 ¼ lbs Angus ground chuck
1 ¼ lbs Angus ground brisket
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Sweet and Tangy Red Onion Marmalade
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced red onions
½ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Bacon
12 slices thick cut apple smoked bacon

Creamy Dreamy Asparagus Spread
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 Asparagus spears
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces boursin garlic and herb cheese
2ounces whipped cream cheese
2 scallions thinly chopped
2 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Vegetable oil for seasoning the grill
6 fresh Kaiser rolls, sliced in half
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups baby arugula
6 (1/4-inch-thick) large tomato slices

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to a medium-high setting.

To prepare the patties, add the ground chuck, ground brisket, salt, pepper, mustard, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and horseradish to a large mixing bowl. Combine the ingredients, while handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting. Form the mixture into six patties, slightly larger than the size of the buns. Loosely wrap the patties in plastic wrap and set aside to keep cool until ready to grill.

To prepare the compote, slice the onions into thin slices and set aside. Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch fireproof skillet on the grill. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes; avoid burning the onions by adjusting the skillet location away from the direct heat. Low heat and longer cooking time allow the natural sugars to come out and not burn the onions. Add the sundried tomatoes and sauté for an additional 10 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and horseradish and continue cooking until the balsamic vinegar has been absorbed into the onion mixture. Transfer the compote to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to keep warm.

To prepare the bacon, preheat a skillet on the grill. Add bacon to the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side. Remove bacon and seal in aluminum foil.

To prepare the asparagus spread, first trim the back end hard part of the asparagus spear. Place the asparagus on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the asparagus on the grill and cook for 5-8 minutes, constantly turning a quarter turn to avoid burning. When asparagus has nice grill marks, remove and place on a cutting board. Dice the asparagus tips and reserve in a bowl. Rough chop the remainder of the asparagus and place in a food processor with the boursin cheese, cream cheese, chopped scallions, and horseradish. Lightly process the mixture to combine all ingredients. Remove the mixture and lightly fold in the reserved asparagus tips. Cover mixture and reserve for later use.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil and place the patties on the grill. Cook the patties, turning only once, until done to preference, 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium. When the patties are ready, remove and place on a tray and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

While the patties are cooking, prepare the buns by slicing in half and brushing olive oil on the cut side of each bun. Once the patties are removed from the grill, lightly toast the buns on the grill for approximately 20 seconds.

To assemble the burger, spread a small portion of asparagus spread on the bottom bun. Add equal portions of the arugula and top with a slice of tomato and then the burger patty. Add a small portion of the asparagus spread on top of the patty and top with two slices of bacon broken into 4 pieces (2 each way). Add the top half of the bun. The heat from the burger and buns will slightly melt that spread giving a creamy dreamy texture.