Easy Calabrian Hamburger

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients

Eggplant – 1/2 medium peeled
Bread Crumbs – plain –
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese – 1 cup shredded
1 Egg
1&1/2 lbs. ground round beef
1 medium to large sweet onion (Vidalia)
1 medium to large tomato
6 large hamburger buns
Garlic salt – California style
Olive oil
Basil leaf

 

Instructions

Preparation: Peel eggplant. Cut into one inch cubes. Install 2 X 2 mm blade in food processor. Feed cubes into food processor to shred eggplant. Transfer 1 cup to bowl. Add bread crumbs, cheese and egg to bowl. Mix ingredients without breaking eggplant shreds. Make 6 patties. Make 6 patties from ground round. Season to taste with garlic salt. Slice onion and tomato into 1/4 inch slices. Grilling: Pre-heat grill and regulate flame to 4 to 5 second heat. Brush grill with olive oil. Eggplant – Cook on both sides until just starting to crisp. Cover should be closed. Remove and set aside. Turn flame up to 3 to 4 second heat. Pre heat for 5 minutes. Burgers – Grill 3&1/2 minutes per side for medium rare. Onions – Grill and flip at the same time as burgers. Buns – Start just after you placed the burgers and onions on the grill. Lay open on grill for 30 seconds for light to medium toasting. Assembly: Build a stack on the lower bun as follows: Ground round patty Eggplant patty Onion Tomato Crush a pinch of basil leaf on top of tomato. Cover with bun top, serve and enjoy!