Northwest Pinot Burger

Ingredients

2 teaspoons course ground sea salt, ½ tsp for mushroom mixture and the remainder for meat preparation
2 teaspoons pepper, ½ tsp for mushroom mixture and the remainder for meat preparation
2 tablespoons Colavita extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons for sautéing and 3 tablespoons melted for brushing on focaccia
1 medium Walla Walla onion, or other sweet onion such as Vidalia, diced
6 ounces Trumpet Royale mushrooms, cut ¼ inch pieces Substitutions: porcini, portabella, seasonal wild mushrooms
1 heaping tablespoon garlic (about 4 large cloves), minced
2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon for mushroom mixture and 1 tablespoon for melted butter
3 tablespoons Colavita Aged Balsamic vinegar
¾ cup Pinot Noir, ½ cup for mushroom mixture and ¼ cup reserved to combine with meat
1 ½ pounds ground chuck
½ pound ground sirloin
6 bun-sized focaccia bread sections, sliced horizontally
2 tablespoons olive oil, for grill
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
6 leaves red leaf lettuce

Instructions

Prepare gas grill by preheating it to medium-high. Prepare a large plate or cookie sheet with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper sprinkled evenly over surface. To make the filling for the patties, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in fire-proof skillet on the grill rack. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize, stirring often. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, add mushrooms and sauté until tender. Sprinkle in garlic, 1 tablespoon of thyme, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and cook for one minute longer. Add balsamic, stir to coat and pour in ½ cup Pinot Noir, stirring again. Cook until liquid is 2/3 reduced. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temp. To make the patties, combine the chuck, sirloin, reserved Pinot, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and cooled mushroom mixture 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 into patties. To reduce shrinkage during cooking, form a shallow depression in the center of each patty. Place patties on prepared plate and sprinkle tops with remaining salt and pepper. Combine remaining tablespoon of thyme and melted butter. Brush cut sides of focaccia with the melted butter mixture. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the grill, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the focaccia, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a cheese slice. To assemble burgers, place patty on the bottom focaccia slice, top with 2 slices of tomato and a lettuce leaf. Add the focaccia tops and serve immediately.