Louisiana Hots Bacon Cheeseburgers With Blackened Pepper Relish & Yaya’s Remoulade

Pour a glass of chilled Sutter Home Rosé, turn up the Zydeco and dance while you grill this spicy burger packed with Cajun flavors. Louisiana hot links and cream cheese, a few good shots of hot sauce, and a spoonful of Cajun seasoning are blended into ground chicken, jazzing it up. Blackened peppers, charred green onions and caramelized celery mixed with Italian olive salad (traditionally used in muffulettas) brighten and lighten, creating a fresh, modern version of this classic condiment. Top it all off with crispy, hickory-smoked bacon, mild and creamy colby cheese, my Yaya’s famous remoulade made with sweet and tangy bread and butter pickles, plus vibrantly green, garden-fresh baby spinach. The bright, crisp, and fruity flavors of Sutter Home Rosé complement and cool this spicy, loaded Louisiana Hots Bacon Cheeseburger. It’s a Mardi Gras party in your mouth!

Serves: 6 Regular-Sized Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

Burger:

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 (12-ounce) pack hot links
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 8 shots hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Yaya’s Remoulade:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons bread and butter pickles, diced
• 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 teaspoon capers
• ½ teaspoon brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

Blackened Pepper Relish:

• 1 jalapeño
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 2 green onions, stem trimmed
• ½ red onion, cut in ½-inch rings
• 2 sticks celery, trimmed of leaves
• 1 cup prepared Italian olive salad with oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• ¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Toppings

• oil for the grill
• 6 brioche buns
• 6 slices Colby cheese
• 12 slices Hickory smoked bacon
• 1 ½ cups baby spinach

INSTRUCTIONS:

Yaya’s Remoulade:

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl – then set aside

Blackened Pepper Relish:

2. Heat grill to high and place washed peppers, green onions, sliced red onions, and celery on grill until lightly blackened and charred, turning every 3 minutes
3. Grill about 6 to 8 minutes until charred and slightly softened and place in large bowl and cover with plastic film to steam
4. Scrape some blackened skin from peppers, leaving a bit of charring, then chop the peppers, discarding the seeds
5. Place in a medium bowl and chop the celery and onions
6. Add diced peppers and remaining ingredients to bowl and stir

Burger:

7. Place ground chicken in a large bowl and remove casing from hot links, paring with a small knife
8. Cut into 2-inch chunks and place in food processor; blend until finely ground
9. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth paste forms
10. Add the hot link mixture and remaining burger ingredients into the ground chicken
11. Mix until just until incorporated and form into six patties – refrigerate until needed
12. Oil the grill and lower temperature to medium-high
13. Grill burgers 5 minutes then flip and grill until burgers reach 165 degrees, about 5 to 8 minutes then place one slice of Colby cheese and two strips of bacon on top of each burger and heat until cheese is melted
14. Toast the buns on the grill and spread remoulade on the toasted buns
15. Place burgers on bottom of buns and spoon pepper relish on top, and place baby spinach on the relish