The Haute Cuisine Burger

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

Ingredients

2 small shallots, minced
1/8 cup Sutter Home Chenin Blanc
1/8 cup white-wine vinegar 5 crushed black peppercorns
2 large sprigs fresh tarragon
Salt to taste
5 oz. (1-1-4 sticks) unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
2 Tbs.warm water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 Artichoke heart bottoms (canned in brine is good)
Patties 2 pounds ground chuck
3 Tablespoons Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 Soft Kaiser rolls sliced

 

Instructions

To make the reduction: Preheat the sauce pan on the grill. Combine the shallots, wine, vinegar, peppercorns, and tarragon in the heavy-based saucepan and simmer over medium high until 2 Tbs. of liquid remains. Remove and discard the solids with a slotted spoon. Set aside. To make the sauce: In another heavy-based saucepan preheated on the grill, melt the butter. Simmer it rapidly until the water evaporates and the milk solids coagulate on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside. Hold the bowl with a grill glove, whisk the egg yolks in a medium stainless steel mixing bowl off to the side of the grill until it is thickened, pale and yellow (Don’t allow to scramble) Slowly add the melted butter a little at a time until all the butter is incorporated and the mixture is like a foamy mayonnaise. To finish the sauce is done, whisk in 1 Tbs. of the reduction (or more to taste). Season with salt and pepper. Stir in finely chopped tarragon, if you want to. 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 chuck, Cabernet, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Handle the meat just enough to mix in the wine. Divide the mixture into 6 patties large enough to fit the rolls. When the grill and your burgers are ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. During the final minutes of grilling the patties, place the rolls on a cooler side of the grill to get warm and toasted. Also place the artichoke bottoms on the grill to heat though. If they’re on the small side place them on a square of foil. To assemble the burgers, remove the Kaiser rolls onto a serving platter an Artichoke bottom on the bottom roll, place a burger patty on each and top with a generous spoonful of the Béarnaise Sauce. Serve with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon