Gorgonzola Burgers with Smoked Paprika Grilled Onion Rings and Creamy Preserved-Lemon Fennel Relish

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Smoked Paprika Grilled Red Onions:

Extra virgin olive oil for grill rack

2 large red onions, peeled

2 tablespoons Colavita Limonolio, lemon
flavored extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika

½ teaspoon spicy seasoned salt

Ingredients for the Relish:

1 tablespoon Colavita Limonolio, lemon-flavored extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup finely diced red onions

¼ cup finely diced sweet red bell pepper

½ cup shredded fennel bulb

2 tablespoons preserved lemon zest, minced or thin strips

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely minced

½ teaspoon spicy seasoned salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

Ingredients for the Patties:

1 ½ pounds freshly ground chuck

1 ½ teaspoons spicy seasoned salt

2 tablespoons Sutter Home Zinfandel

1 tablespoon Colavita Limonolio, lemon-flavored extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely minced

2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika

Olive Oil for grill rack

½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Ingredients for Assembly:

6 4-inch diameter Onion Kaiser Rolls,sliced in half

6 bibb or butter lettuce leaves

 

Instructions

For skewed grilled onions:

Prepare barbecue at medium heat. Brush

grill rack with olive oil. Pierce one

or two large red onions all the way

through horizontally with thin metal

poultry-lacing skewers or six-inch

soaked wooden skewers. Space each

skewer about ½ inch apart as you move

horizontally down the onion,

attempting to get six skewers in one

onion, or using part of the second

onion to get six slices. Cut the onion

half way between each skewer so you get

¼ to ½ inch thick slices, each held

together with a skewer. If the rings

are not held together firmly, run

another skewer through each slice,

about an inch from the first skewer.

Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon-flavored

extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl

and brush liberally on both sides of

each onion slice. Set onions aside on

baking sheet. In small bowl, combine 2

tablespoons Smoked Paprika, ½ teaspoon

salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper well.

Use a spoon and liberally sprinkle the

spice mixture over both sides of each

skewered onion. Place onions on grill

and cook just until they start to

become softened and charred on each

side. You can spray onions with water

one or two times on each side, as they

grill, to keep them moist. When done,

place slices on baking sheet to cool 5

minutes. Remove skewers from each

slice, while holding the rings

together. Set onions aside until burger

assembly.

For Relish:

Increase grill temperature to medium-

high heat. Pour 1 tablespoon lemon-

flavored olive oil in fire-proof, non-

stick skillet and place on grill. Add

red onions and cook for 2-3 minutes

until this start to wilt. Add red bell

peppers and cook another 2-3 minutes

until they are tender crisp. Remove

skillet from heat and pour vegetable

mixture into a medium-sized bowl. Let

cool 10 minutes. Pour shredded fennel

bulb, preserved lemon zest, fresh

parsley, seasoned salt, mayonnaise,

Dijon Mustard and sugar into the bowl

with the onions and peppers and stir

well to combine. Set Aside.

For Patties:

In large bowl, quickly break ground

chuck into smaller pieces. Over the

meat, sprinkle the seasoned salt,

Zinfandel, lemon-flavored Olive Oil,

fresh parsley, and smoked paprika. Stir

the ingredients into the meat with a

fork. Divide meat into 6 equal portions

on a baking sheet. Wet hands with water

and form meat quickly into 6 patties

that are about ½ inch thick in the

middle and ¾ inch around the edges. Do

not over handle.

Turn grill to medium-heat heat and

brush grill rack with more olive oil.

Place patties on grill rack and cook

about 4 minutes per side or to desired

level of doneness. During last 2

minutes of grilling burgers, spoon

crumbled gorgonzola cheese in the

center of each grilled burger, dividing

cheese between the 6 burgers. Remove

burgers from grill and let rest for 2

minutes.

While burgers are resting, place the

rolls, cut side down on the outer edges

of the grill rack to lightly toast.

To assemble the burgers, spoon relish

generously onto bottom on rolls. Place

a grilled patty on each bottom roll

then top each patty with a piece of

bibb or butter lettuce, then a slice of

grilled onion and another spoon of the

relish, Cover with top roll and serve

immediately.