Greek Burger With Feta-Mint Yogurt Sauce and Sweet Pepper Relish

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds freshly ground beef
1 tsp. anchovy paste
1/3 cup chopped green olives with pimiento
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest

1 cup sweet banana peppers, or pepperocini, chopped
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS red wine vinegar
1 tsp. white sugar
½ tsp. salt

6 brioche buns, split
3 TBS olive oil
6 leaves of Romaine lettuce

Instructions:

Preheat the gas grill to medium-high.
In a large bowl, add your ground beef, anchovy paste, green olives, oregano, garlic, black pepper and salt. Mix gently but thoroughly, being careful not to overwork the mixture. Form the mixture into 6 patties. Set aside to let rest.
In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, Feta cheese, fresh mint, and lemon zest until well combined. Set aside in a cool location.
In another small bowl toss together your sweet banana peppers, diced onion, tomatoes, garlic, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt to make your relish. Cover and set aside while you cook your burgers.
Put your burger patties on the preheated grill over direct heat. Cook burgers for a total of 5 minutes per side. A few minutes before the burgers are cooked to your desired doneness, brush the inside of your Brioche buns with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and put on the grill to toast slightly. When everything is ready, assemble your burgers – place a patty inside each bun. Top the patty with a generous smear of the Feta-Mint yogurt sauce followed by a Romaine lettuce leaf. Place a dollop of your sweet relish on top of the lettuce and finish with top of roll. Enjoy!