Italian Burger with three-cheese sauce

Pairs well with:

Chardonnay

Reach for our Chardonnay when you’re in the mood for a rich and creamy wine that delights with the fruity flair of pear, apple, and peach.

Ingredients:

Three Cheese Sauce
• 3 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup half –n- half
• 4 ounces blue cheese crumbles
• ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese

Patties
• .25 lb ground pork
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef (85/15)
• 2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
• 1 seven ounce jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and finely chopped.

• Vegetable oil for grill rack
• 6 red leaf lettuce leaves
• 6 whole wheat buns, split

Instructions:

Directions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To make sauce, combine butter, half-n-half, blue cheese crumbles, parmesan, and cream cheese in a fire-proof saucepan. Cover and set aside.

To make patties, combine pork, ground beef, sea salt, italian seasoning, garlic, spinach, and red peppers in a large bowl. Combine well, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Form into 6 patties and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. Meanwhile, place saucepan with three-cheese sauce on the outer edge of rack to warm three-cheese sauce until it reaches a spreading consistency. Stir constantly until well blended. Remove the saucepan from grill, cover, and set aside. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns cut sides down on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the three-cheese sauce over the cut sides of the buns (top and bottom). On each bun bottom, place a patty and a lettuce leaf. Add the bun tops and serve.

Makes 6 burgers