“Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” Burger (a/k/a Chimichurri Burger with Balsamic Glazed Onions and Green Olive Tapenade)

My 7 year old daughter’s four favorite foods are Burgers, Green olives, Cucumbers, and Chimichurri Sauce.What better then combining all four into one perfect burger, which she loves.

Ingredients:

Balsamic Glazed Onions

1 tbsp light olive oil

1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

½ tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Patties

¾ cup packed fresh Italian parsley

2 cloves garlic

1 fresh bay leaf, stem removed

1/2 of a small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

1 tbsp dry oregano

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp light olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

2 ¼ lbs ground beef chuck (20% fat)

Green Olive Tapenade

1-cup pimento stuffed green olives

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp olive oil mayonnaise

¼ tsp ground black pepper

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack

2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthwise

6 soft crust ciabatta rolls, split

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to medium-high.

To make the glazed onions, heat olive oil in a fireproof skillet. Add onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Cover pan to keep warm.

To make the patties, place parsley, garlic, bay leaf, jalapeno, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Puree till smooth. Place ground beef into large bowl. Add the parsley puree. Mix together well, being careful not to over-handle the beef in order not to compact it. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties slightly larger than the diameter of the rolls (to allow for shrinkage during cooking). Make a slight indentation in the center of each patty. Cover and refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.

To make olive tapenade, place olives, garlic, mayonnaise, and pepper into bowl of food processor. Pulse mixture until it is very slightly chunky. Transfer mixture to glass or plastic bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the burgers.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Place the patties on the grill rack and cover to cook. Turn the burgers only once. Cook until done to preference, 4-5 minutes per side for a medium done burger. Remove burgers from grill and place rolls, cut side down on the outer edges of the rack to toast slightly, about 1 minute.

To assemble the burgers, spread 1 ½ tbsp olive tapenade on the bottom half of the rolls. Place patty on top of tapenade. Top patty with equal amounts of glazed onions and 3 slices of cucumber. Place toasted roll tops on top of cucumbers. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 burgers