Strawberry Picnic Monte Cristo Burger On Brioche French Toast Buns

Serves 6
Pairs well with:

Red Moscato

A perfect marriage of sweet, creamy Moscato with fresh, fruity Merlot. Opposites attract.

Fresh strawberry slices soaked in Sutter Home Red Moscato mingle with a melty pile of creamy, nutty Swiss cheese. Chopped cremini mushrooms sautéed in butter and Sutter Home Red Moscato harmoniously combine with lean ground bison for a tasty surprise dotted throughout these flavorful, juicy, grilled burgers that retain the ideal level of moisture thanks to the mushrooms. Thin slices of honey maple ham and turkey add a delightful savory element to the sweet and tangy swirls of jammy strawberry mayonnaise. Brioche burger buns are quickly transformed into luscious French toast buns using the warming rack inside the grill while the burgers cook. Each bite of these delectable burgers, inspired by my taste buds’ affection for the Monte Cristo sandwich, is a delicious symmetry of sweet and savory. A chilled glass of Sutter Home Red Moscato, bursting with a mouthwatering blend of sweet berry and strawberry flavors, is the perfect wine pairing to complement these unique, grin-inducing burgers that prove opposites attract.

Serves: 6 Regular-Sized Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

Sweetly Spiked Strawberries:

  • 6 medium-to-large strawberries, stemmed and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons Sutter Home Red Moscato

Burger:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 5 tablespoons Sutter Home Red Moscato
  • 12 ounces whole cremini mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 pounds ground bison
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • canola oil for brushing grill
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese
  • 6 thin slices deli honey maple turkey
  • 6 thin slices deli honey maple ham

Brioche French Toast Buns:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon 2% milk
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 6 brioche hamburger buns, split

Strawberry Swirled Mayonnaise:

  • 1/3 Cup strawberry fruit spread
  • ½ Cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ Teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sweetly Spiked Strawberries:

  1. Place sliced strawberries in shallow bowl and pour 3 tablespoons Sutter Home Red Moscato over strawberries – then cover and set aside

Burger:

  1. Heat gas grill to medium heat and heat a large fireproof skillet on grill
  2. Melt butter in skillet and pour in 5 tablespoons Sutter Home Red Moscato
  3. Add mushrooms and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, then remove skillet from heat and allow mushrooms to cool
  4. To make the patties, combine cooled mushrooms, ground bison, salt and pepper in a bowl and gently combine ingredients, using care not to overmix meat, then divide mixture into six equal portions that will fit in buns
  5. Increase grill temperature to medium-high heat
  6. Brush both grill rack and warming rack with canola oil and place patties on grill rack
  7. Cook patties, turning once, for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side (for medium-rare) or until desired level of doneness
  8. During the last couple minutes of cooking, top the patties with cheese then transfer patties to a plate to rest until assembling burgers

Brioche French Toast Buns:

  1. Use fork to beat eggs in shallow bowl then use fork to whisk in milk, vanilla, and salt until combined
  2. Gently immerse each bun half in egg mixture, just enough to coat, and allow excess egg mixture to drip back into bowl
  3. Arrange egg-coated bun halves cut side-down on large platter
  4. Place three buns (six bun halves), cut side-down, on oiled warming rack then close grill lid and grill buns over indirect heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until egg mixture is no longer wet and buns have golden grill marks on cut side of buns
  5. Remove grilled buns to a large plate and repeat with remaining three buns (six bun halves)

Strawberry Swirled Mayonnaise:

  1. Add strawberry fruit spread, mayonnaise, and kosher salt to small bowl and stir once or twice so red swirls of strawberry fruit spread are visibly combined with swirls of the white mayonnaise

Assemble:

  1. Spread an even layer of strawberry-swirled mayonnaise on the cut side of each bottom bun and on each bun bottom, arrange one slice of turkey and one slice of ham, both folded to fit bun
  2. Place cheese-topped burger patty on top, arrange sweetly spiked strawberries over melted cheese, then close burgers with bun tops and serve immediately!