Italian Stallion Burger

I have been entering contests for about 30 years. All my winnings are to help my son go to college. I am looking forward to entering this contest and hopefully geting selected.

Ingredients:

Pancetta/onion Jam
8 oz pancetta. chopped
1 large white onion, sliced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 Colavita Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Sun-dried tomato Pesto
1/2 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup Colavita olive oil
1/4 cup pune nuts
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 3 oz pkgs. sundried tomato halves
1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese

Garlic Butter Spread
1 1/2 sticks buttrer, softened
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 tsp salt

Patties
2 lbs ground chuck
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
1/3 Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup frshly grated parmesan regiano
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Vegetable for brushing the grill
6 1/4 inch slices of fresh mozarella
6 chiabatta rolls, split
6 cups packaged Arugula/baby spinach mixture
6 1/4 inch large tomato slices

Instructions:

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

To make the pancetta/onion jam: Place a 1.5 qt non stick saucepan over gas grill. Add pancetta, cooking and stirring until completely cooked. Drain all but 1 teapoon of fat from saucepan, leaving pancetta in saucepan. Add sliced onions to pancetta and continue cooking, stirring often until onion is soft and carmelized, about 20-25 minutes. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar, breaking sugar with a spoon; add balsamic vinegar. Continue stirring for about 3-5 minutes. Add salt and red pepper flakes, strring to distribute salt and red pepper flakes evenly. remove from heat, cover and set aside.

To make sun-dried tomato Pesto: In a food processor, Process flat leaf parsley, olive oil, pine nuts, galice cloves, water and lemon juice until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add sun-dried tomatoes, pulsing just to break up tomato into a chunky consistency. Remove from processer to a container and stir in parmesan cheese, cover with foil and set aside.

To make the garlic butter spread: In a food processor, combine butter, garlic halves and salt, proess until smooth and creamy. Remove to a container, cover and set aside.

To make patties: Combine the beef, basil, oregano, pepperoni, Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan regiano, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the patties to fit roll. Place on a large cookie sheet, cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Brush the grill with oil, place the patties on the rack, cover wnd grill until browned on the bottom, 3-4 minutes. Turn the patties and continue grilling until done to preferance, about 5 minutes longer on each side for medium. During the last 3 minutes of grilling , place the mozarella slices on the patties. Spread a generous amount of garlic butter on tops and bottoms of chiabatta rolls and carefully place the rolls cut side down on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burger: Place a generous amount of sun-dried tomato pesto on roll bottom, followed by a generaous amount of arugula/babay spinach mixture, tomato slice and cheese topped patty. Top cheese topped patty with a genrous amount of pancetta/onion jam. add the bun tops and Enjoy!!