” El Toro” Burger with Pimenton Aioli, Piquillo Peppers,grilled Spanish Onions and Manchego Cheese
Ingredients
Piquillo Peppers:
1 jar of Piquillo Peppers (2 reserved for the Aioli) or any good quality roasted red Peppers (1/2 one reserved for the Aioli)
2 garlic cloves, minced( +2 more for the Aioli +1 more for rubbing the bread)
2 Tablespoons Colavita Olive Oil( +3/4 cup for the Aioli +2 Tablespoons for the Mushrooms + 1Tablespoon for the Onions and some more for oiling the grill)
1 Tablespoon Sherry vinegar
Pimenton Aioli:
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt (+ 1teaspoon for the mushrooms, 2 teaspoons for the patties)
1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
3/4 cup Colavita olive oil
2 teaspoons Pimenton picante (Spanish paprika)
2 Piquillo Peppers, finely chopped or 1/2 roasted red pepper (if Piquillo are unavailable), finely chopped
Mushrooms:
6 Baby Bella mushrooms,
2 Tablespoons Colavita Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
Patties:
2lbs freshly ground chuck
4oz fresh Chorizo sausage, casing removed
2oz hard Chorizo sausage, chopped
2 teaspoons of sea salt
Spanish Onions:
1 large sweet Spanish onion
1 Tablespoon Colavita Olive Oil
Oil for the grill
4 oz Cabrales blue cheese preferably, crumbled and divided in 6 portions or any blue cheese you like, will work.
12 oz Manchego cheese, crusts removedand sliced in 6 slices.
6 Seeded Rolls, split
1 ripe tomatocut in half for rubbing bread (+ 6 slices of tomato
Instructions
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover or preheat a gas grill to medium high.
To prepare the Piquillo Peppers, place the peppers, minced garlic, olive oil and the sherry vinegar in a bowl and mix gently. Set aside to marinate.
To make the Aioli, place the garlic cloves and the salt in a mortar and pound until smooth, add the egg yolk an drizzle the olive oil little by little in a stream while you continue pounding. Not all the oil might be needed. The aioli is ready when it becomes very firm. Add the pimenton and peppers, Fold gently. Set aside and keep cool.
To prepare the mushrooms, rub them clean with a towel, discard the stem, place in shallow container with the oil and salt. Set aside to marinate.
To make the patties, mix gently but well the chuck, fresh chorizo sausage, hard chorizo sausage and salt. Divide the mixture in 6 equal patties.
To prepare the Spanish Onions, slice the onion in 6 slices, place them on a plate, drizzle the oil and set aside.
When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with some oil. Place on the rack the mushrooms, cap side down for 10 minutes total, turning them often. When almost done, move them to the back of the rack, cavity up. Add some of the Cabrales crumbled cheese in each of the caps until melted. Remove from the grill, place on a plate and slice each cap in 4 slices. Set aside.
Place the patties on the rack, cover. Cook, turning once, until done to preference 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, place the onions slices on the rack, turn once. On the last two minutes of cooking, place the Manchego cheese slices on the burgers to melt. Place the split rolls on the back of the rack to toast at the same time .
To assemble the burgers, rub the bottoms of the buns very lightly with garlic, then with the tomato half, spread some of the aioli on top, then place a pattie on the bun, a slice of grilled Spanish onion, a slice of tomato and the sliced mushroom cap drizzled with the Cabrales cheese melted. Add the roll tops and serve,
Serves 6.