sweet and spicy bacon burger with grilled fennel, onion, avocado and cheddar

Ingredients

FOR BACON:
1 CUP LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
3/4 TEASPOON CAYENNE PEPPER
2 CLOVES GARLIC, FINELY MINCED
1 POUND THICK-CUT BACON
FOR GRILLED FENNEL, ONION AND AVOCADO:
1/4 CUP COLAVITA EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
2 BULBS FRESH FENNEL, STEMS AND CORE REMOVED, SLICED INTO APPR.1" X 3" SLICES
2 LARGE SWEET ONION SLICED INTO 1/3" SLICES
2 RIPE (BUT FIRM) HAAS AVOCADOS, HALVED AND SEEDED
SALT FOR SPRINKLING ON VEGETABLES
FOR ONION ROLLS:
1 STICK BUTTER
2 CLOVES GARLIC, FINELY MINCED
6 ONION ROLLS
FOR PATTIES:
1 1/2 POUNDS FRESHLY GROUND CHUCK (CONTAINING AT LEAST 24% FAT)
3/4 CUP SWEET ONIONS, MINCED
3 TABLESPOONS GREY POUPON COUNTRY DUJON MUSTARD
1 1/2 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
1/3 TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
4 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
2 TABLESPOONS COLAVIT EXTRA VIRGIN OILIVE OIL
OLIVE OIL FOR MOISTENING HANDS AND BRUSHING GRILL
8 OUNCES EXTRA SHARP CHEDDAR

Instructions

TP PREPARE BACON, PLACE BROWN SUGAR, CAYENNE PEPPER, GARLIC ON FLAT PLATE. MIX WELL. CUT EACH SLICE OF BACON IN HALF (APPROX. 4"-5" LOMG PER SLICE). DREDGE EACH SLICE IN BEOWN SUGAR MIXTURE UNTIL LIGHTLY COATED. PLACE BACON ON VEGETABLE RACK AND PLACE DIRECTLY ON GRILL AT MEDIUM HEAT. GRILL BACON UNTIL CRISP, ADJUSTING TEMPERATURE DOWN IF NECESSARY. WHEN CRISP, REMOVE AND SET ASIDE. TO PREPARE GRILLED FENNEL, ONION AND AVOCADO, RUB OIL LIGHTLY ON ALL FENNEL PIECES, ONION SLICES AND AVOCADO HALVES. SPRINKLE VEGETABLES LIGHTLY WITH SALT. PLACE FENNEL ON VEGETABLE RACK AND PLACE DIRECTLY ON GRILL ON LOW HEAT. COVER AND GRILL UNTIL TENDER, TURNING OCCASIONALLY (ABOUT 20 MINUTES). REMOVE FENNEL FROM GRILL AND SET ASIDE. PLACE ONIONS ON VEGETABLE RACK AND PLACE DIRECTLY ON GRILL. GRILL ONIONS ON MED/HIGH HEAT UNTIL TNEDER AND SLIGHTLY BLACKENED, TOSSING OCCASIONALLY, (APPROX. 8-10 MINUTES). REMOVE ONIONS, COVER AND SET ASIDE. PLACE AVOCADO HALVES ON VEGETABLE RACK AND GRILL ON MEDIUM HEAT, CUT SIDE DOWN UNTIL WARMED, (APPROX 1-2 MINUTES). REMOVE AVOCADO AND SET ASIDE UNTIL COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE. WHEN COOL, SLICE AVOCADOS IN 1/2" SLICES AND SET ASIDE. TO PREPARE ONION ROLLS, MIX BUTTER AND GARLIC WITH FORK UNTIL SOFTENED. SLICE ONION ROLLS IN TWO AND SPREAD BUTTER MIXTURE ON BOTH CUT SIDES OF EACH ROLL. SET ASIDE. TO PREPARE PATTIES, COMBINE GROUND CHUCK, MINCED ONION, GREY POUPON, SALT, PEPPER, GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL, HANDLING MEAT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID COMPACTING. MOISTEN HANDS AND FORM 6 PATTIES, EACH LARGE ENOUGH TO FIT ROLL AND 3/4" TO 1" THICK. BRUSH OIL ON GRILL. PLACE PATTIES ON 450 DEGREE GRILL FOR 4 MINUTES. TURN PATTIES AND CONTINUE GRILLING FOR APPRPOX. 4-6 MINUTES OR UNTIL MEAT THERMOMETER READS 160 DEGREES FOR MEDIUM. DURING FINAL MINUTES OF GRILLING, PLACE QUAL AMOUNTS OF CHEESE ON PATTIES. PLACE BUTTERED BUNS, CUT SIDE DOWN ON GRILL TO TOAST, WATCHING CAREFULLY TO AVOID BURNING. REMOVE PATTIES AND BUNS FROM GRILL. TO BUILD BURGERS, PLACE ONE PATTIE ON EACH CUT SIDE OF BOTTOM HALF OF EACH ROLL. PLACE EQUAL AMOUNT OF BACON ATOP EACH PATTIE. PLACE EQUAL AMOUNTS OF FENNEL ATOP BACON. PLACE EQUAL AMOUNTS OF ONIONS ATOP FENNEL. PLACE EQUAL AMOUNTS OF AVOCADO ATOP ONION. PLACE TOP HALF OF ROLL, CUT SIDE DOWN, ON TOP. SERVE AND ENJOY. MAKES 6 BURGERS MARILYN, BUFFALO GROVE, IL.