Oh So Sweet Spinach Salad Burger

Ingredients

Spinach Salad Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

Grilled Portabell Mushrooms
6 portabells mushrooms
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Spinach salad dressing

Patties
2 pounds ground round
1/4 cup White Zinfandel
1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack
12 slices pre-cooked bacon
6 large kaiser rolls
6 1/4 inch slices large red onion
36 baby spinach leaves

 

Instructions

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

To make the spinach salad dressing, combine the oil, sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and worcestershire sauce in a small fire-proof saucepan. Place on grill for 1 to 2 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from grill, reserve 1/2 cup for final burger assembly.

Place portabella mushrooms, cap side up,in a shallow pan. Pour remaining spinach salad dressing over mushrooms. Set aside.

To make patties, combine beef, wine, waterchestnuts, blue cheese, thyme, and salt 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 portions into patties to fit rolls.

Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium.
After turning patties, place mushrooms on grill, cap side down, brush with dressing from pan, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turn, brush cap side with , dressing, then top with equal amounts of blue cheese, cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms from grill, set aside.
Remove patties from grill, stack to keep warm. Place bacon strips on outside of grill, cook 30 seconds or until heated. Brush spinach salad dressing on the cut side of rolls, place on grill, cut side down, toast lightly.

To assemble burgers, on each roll bottom, place a mushroom, 2 bacon slices, a patty, an onion slice, 6 baby spinach leaves, drizzle reserved dressing equally over each burger. Add the roll tops and serve.