Perfect Pesto Goat Cheese Burgers with Drunken Onions

Ingredients

Drunken Onions
2 Large Red onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Colavita olive oil
1/3 cup Sutterhome red Zinfandel wine
1/2 tsp salt

Pesto Spread
4 Tbs butter, softened
1/3 cup prepared pesto (Contadina/butoni)

Patties
2 lbs ground beef brisket
2 tsp salt
2 Tbs Prepared pesto

Vegetable oil for greasing grill rack
6 oz. Goat cheese (log form) sliced into 6 1 oz discs
6 ciabatta rolls, split
36 large Arugala leaves

 

Instructions

Prepare a gas grill to medium-high heat along with a vegetable grill rack.

To begin the Drunken Onions, combine sliced onion, olive oil, red wine and salt in shallow mixing bowl. Set aside.

To make the Spread, combine butter and pesto in small bowl. Set aside.

To make the patties, combine ground brisket, salt and pesto 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 the rolls. Loosely wrap the patties in plastic wrap and set aside in a cool location until ready to grill.

To make drunken onions, remove onions from marinade and place on vegetable grill rack for 7-10 minutes, until carmelized and soft, turning as necessary. Transfer onions to a platter and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

To cook the patties, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack and cook the patties, turning only once, approx 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium rare. During last few minutes of cooking, place 1 disc of goat cheese on each burger to melt, closing grill as necessary. Remove burgers to platter, loosely cover to keep warm until assembly.

To toast the rolls, place cut side down on the outer edges of rack and toast until rolls are lightly browned and crisp.

To assemble burgers: spread Pesto butter evenly over both sides of cut rolls. On each roll bottom place six arugala leaves, patty, and and equal portion of the onions, add ciabatta tops and serve.