Saltimbocca Beef Burger with Lemon-Mayonnaise (a.k.a. Prosciutto and Sage Wrapped Burgers with Lemon-Mayonnaise)

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients:

Lemon-Mayonnaise
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Patties
2 pounds freshly ground chuck
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Zinfandel
6 Sage leaves
6 large slices prosciutto, sliced medium-thin

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
6 bun-sized focaccia bread sections, sliced horizontally
3 cups arugula

Instructions:

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

To make the lemon-mayonnaise, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

To make the patties, combine the chuck, salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, minced garlic cloves, and Zinfandel 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 focaccia sections. Place a sage leaf on each patty. Then, wrap each patty with 1 slice of prosciutto.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. Add a slice of the mozzarella cheese to the top of each patty during the last 3 minutes of cooking. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, place the focaccia, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the lemon-mayonnaise over the cut sides of the focaccia. On each focaccia bottom, place ½ cup of arugula and a patty. Add the focaccia tops and serve.