The Beefed Up California Roll – Sushi Burger

Pairs well with:

Chenin Blanc

This wine is bursting with crisp, refreshing fruit flavors like apple, pear, and melon, making you want to swing your legs off a dock at sunset.

In the 60s, California became the entry point for sushi chefs from Japan seeking to make their fortune, substituting avocado for tuna the California Roll was invented.In the 80’s The California Roll spread its popularity throughout the United States. Well I felt it was time to beef up the California Roll, with some of that great California Beef, you know where the Happy Cows are, and make it a true American Burger/Roll.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Sutter Home Gewürztraminer Wine
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons prepared wasabi
1/3 cup sliced green onion
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds lean ground beef, 7 – 10 % fat
6 – 1 oz crab sticks, cut in half lengthwise

4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon prepared wasabi
1/2 cup catsup

1 large Cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into 12, 1/2 X 8 inch strips
2 large tomatoes, seeds & pulp removed, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
1 large avocado, seeded & peeled, cut into 18 strips
2 oz seasoned sliced ginger, drained
6 – 10 inch Spinach Tortillas, cut into 8 inch squares

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack

Instructions:

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

To make the patties, combine the wine, oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons wasabi, green onion, pepper and salt, mix well. Add ground beef, mixing in and handling as little as possible. Shape into 6 flat 8 x 4 inch squares. Place 2 crab stick pieces down the center of the beef, wrap beef around the crab sticks to give you 6, 8 inch logs. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Prepare sauce, combine soy sauce with 2 teaspoons prepared wasabi, mix well. Add half of the mixture to the catsup and reserve the other half for sealing the tortillas.

Prepare the tortillas, spread each tortilla with a heaping tablespoon of sauce. place slices of ginger down the center of the tortilla in a long row. Place cucumber sticks, tomato slices and avacado slices on each side of the ginger.
When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the logs on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once until done to preference, 4 to 6 minutes on each side for medium.

To serve, place the cooked burger down the center of each tortilla, roll up using the reserved soy sauce to seal the edges. Cut each roll into 5 pieces. Serve the 5 pieces cut side up on a plate.

Serves 6