Porcini Mushroom Merlot Burger
Ingredients
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/3 cup Sutter Home merlot wine
1/4 cup Colavita olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 fresh garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sweet onion
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 fresh Potato roll buns, split
Instructions
Combine mushrooms and Merlot wine in a bowl. Cover and let stand for 2 hours to allow the porcini mushrooms to asborb the majority of the wine Using a small seperate bowl combine Colavita olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 clove minced garlic. This mixture shall be used to brush cut-side of buns prior to grilling. Set aside. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. While ground chuck remains refrigerated. Place onion in a food processor and chop finely. With the onion in the food processor, add 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cloves garlic, red-pepper flakes and the porcini/wine mixture and process to a paste consistency. Remove ground chuck from refrigerator and place in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, add the porcini paste and mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the rolls. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook. Avoid pressing down on the patties with a spatula during cooking. For a medium preparation, cook approximately 2 to 3 minutes rotating patties 1/4 turn. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the same side. Turning the pattie only one time, repeat this step on the other side. To create the parmesan crusted bun, during the last few minutes of cooking, generously apply the parmesan-olive oil mixture, to the cut-side of buns, brushing evenly, place the buns cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. To assemble place burgers on bottom buns adding top buns and serve.