Grilled Green Onion Burgers with Charred Tomato Mustard, Crispy Pancetta Chips and Asiago Cheese
Ingredients
For the Green Onions:
40 green onions, trimmed, washed and dried
1 Tbsp. avocado or grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For the Charred Tomatoes:
1 Tbsp. ripe plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 Tbsp. avocado or grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For the Crispy Pancetta Chips:
1/3 cup avocado oil or grapeseed oil
18 thin slices pancetta (have your deli person place each slice on a separate piece of paper so the slices don’t stick together)
For the Toasted Garlic:
12 large unpeeled cloves of garlic
For the Burgers:
4 oz. pancetta, coarsely chopped
20 grilled green onion, finely chopped (step #2)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
6 cloves toasted garlic, smashed (step #5)
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 lbs. ground chuck, (80% lean, 20% fat)
For the Charred Tomato Mustard
20 grilled green onions, finely chopped (step #2)
6 cloves toasted garlic (from step #5 below)
1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise (Hellman’s or Best)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon)
3/4 cup whole grain dijon mustard (Grey Poupon)
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. fine sea salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 charred tomatoes, coaresly chopped (step #3)
To Finsh the Burgers:
Avocado or grapeseed oil for oiling grill, burgers, and buns
6 uncooked burgers, form step #6
1 large (or 2 medium/3 small) sweet onions, thinly sliced into rounds but not separated into rings (you will need 6 slices)
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6-8 oz. imported Italian asiago cheese, thinly sliced (6 slices, each about 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″)
6 onion challa or brioche hamburger sized (about 4 1/2″-5″ in diameter) rolls
Charred Tomato Mustard (from step #8 below)
Crispy Pancetta Chips (from step #4 below)
Instructions
1) Prepare your grill: FOR A GAS GRILL: If you have a grill that has more than one section, heat one section to high and one to medium. If you only have one section, heat it to medium.
2) Grill the Green Onions: Coat the green onions with 1 Tbsp. avocado or grapeseed oil and then with the 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Grill them on the hot side of the grill for about 2-3 minutes per side (turning once), or until they have nice grill marks on both sides. Remove them to a clean plate or bowl to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, finely chop half of the green onions and set them aside (these are for the burgers); coarsely chop the rest of the green onions and set them aside (these are for the tomato mustard).
3) Char the Tomatoes: Place a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven onto the hot side of the grill to preheat. Coat the ripe plum tomateoes with the 1 Tbsp. avocado oil or grapeseed oil. Season the tomatoes on all sides with 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Place into the hot pan, cut side down for about 2 minutes, or just until starting to soften and color. Use a metal spatula to scoop them up and turn them over (they may stick a bit). Cook fo r3-4 minutes longer, or until soft and the skin is starting to char. Remove them to a bowl to cool slightly. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside. Move the cast iron skillet to a medium hot part of the grill or turn the heat on your gas grill down to medium.
4) Crisp the Pancetta: Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe out the skillet. When the skillet has cooled a bit, add 1/3 cup avocado or grapeseed oil to the skillet to preheat. When hot, add 2-3 slices of the pancetta (in one layer-you will have to cook it in batches). Cook the pancetta, turning it frequently (with tongs) until all of the fat has been rendered, and they are golden brown and starting to crisp like bacon (about 5-10 minutes per slice/batch depending on the heat of your grill; remove the pancetta as it is done to a paper towel lined plate to cool, layering it between paper towels to remove any excess fat). Leave the fat in the pan and leave the pan on the cooler side of the grill.
5) Toast the Garlic: Add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the cast iron skillet (still over medium heat) skillet and cook, turning frequently (with tongs) until golden brown on all sides-about 6-8 minutes total. When done, remove the garlic to a clean bowl to cool slightly. Remove the cast iron skillet from the grill to a safe (heat safe)location to cool before cleaning it and putting it away.
6) Make the Burger Patties: Place the 4 oz. coarsely chopped pancetta into the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground (1-2 minutes, on and off until evenly ground/chopped). Place the ground/chopped pancetta into a large wide mixing bowl. Add the finely chopped green onions and rosemary. Peel 6 of the toasted garlic cloves and smash them with the side of a chef’s knife. Add the smashed garlic to the mixing bowl. Add the 1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt and 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper to the bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly combine this mixture. NOTE: You want it uniformly and thoroughly mixed so that when you add the beef, you will not have to handle it any more than necessary. When the pancetta mixture is evenly combined, crumble the beef over the mixture in the bowl and use your hands to toss the beef with the mixture – like a salad- crumbling the beef chunks as you mix. You want to handle the meat as little as possible while still mixing it evenly and thoroughly, divide into 6 burgers/patties (a slightly rounded or “heaping” 3/4 cup meat per burger- if you have a little meat mixture left over, make the chef a little spicy meat ball). Form each portion into a patty that is about 4 1/2″ in diameter. Place burger onto a clean platter and cover with plastic wrap. Chill while you make the Charred Tomato Mustard and prepare the grill.
7) Make the Charred Tomato Mustard: Place the green onions, 6 cloves of garlic (peeled-from step #5 below), 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 3/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 tsp. fine sea salt and 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper into a food processor or blender and process or blend until thoroughly combined (1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender jar or food processor bowl once or twice). Scrape the mixture out into a small mixing bowl and add the chopped charred tomatoes. Use a rubber spatula to fold the tomatoes into the mustard mixture. Set aside while you cook the burgers.
8) Cook the Burgers: NOTE: Use the avocado or grapeseed oil to lightly oil both sides of all of the burgers and the grill. Grill the burgers for about 4 minutes per side (you are aiming for about 135- 140 degrees internal temperature-they will stay very juicy and moist because of the pancetta and onions), turning them once. While the burgers cook, season the sliced sweet onion with the 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt adn 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Also, prepare the buns by creating a “divot” in each top bun: remove excess dough from the inside of each top bun-this will help the toppings stay on the burger and the burger stay together. Lightly oil the cut sides of the buns with avocado or grapeseed oil. When 1 minute from being done on the second side, top each burger with a slice of seasoned sweet onion and cover the sweet onion with a slice of Asiago cheese (enough to cover the top of each burger-how many you need for each burger will depend on the size and shape of your cheese slices). Cover the grill for the last minute of cooking to melt the cheese over the onions. When done, remove the burgers to a clean plate and tent with foil to rest and keep warm while you toast the buns. Place the buns, cut sides down around the edges of the grill and cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until warm and lightly toasted. Remove buns from grill and place one top and bottom onto each of 6 plates.
9) Finish the Burgers: Spread about 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the Charred Tomato Mustard onto the cut sides of each top and bottom bun (spread it into the “divot” in the top buns). Place three slices of the crispy pancetta chips onto each bottom bun and top with a cooked burger (with onion and cheese). Place the top half of the bun on the burger and serve (you may have extra Charred Tomato Mustard-save for another day!!)
Serves 6.