The Stuffed Godfather Burger

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

Stuffing/Cheese mixture:
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1/4 cup finely chopped marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Patties:
3 beaten eggs
1/3 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel wine
1/3 cup fine Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds mild Italian ground sausage
1 1/2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 French style sourdough rolls
Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
6 leaves of Romaine lettuce

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high. In small bowl mix mozzarella cheese, green olives, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion. Set aside to be used as stuffing placed in a middle of burgers. In a large chilled stainless steel bowl combine beaten eggs and Sutter Home Zinfandel wine. Stir in bread crumbs, onion, parmesan cheese, garlic and salt. Add Italian ground sausage and ground beef to egg mixture; mix well. Shape 12 patties, ½ inch thick (approximately ½ cup meat mixture). Use two patties to create one stuffed burger, as follows: Place 1/3 cup cheese mixture on one patty. Place the second patty on top and press meat around edges to completely seal cheese inside of burger. Repeat this process with the remaining 10 patties to make a total of 6 half pound burgers. Meanwhile, to cook the patties, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack and cover the grill. Grill the patties, over medium heat, turning burgers several times, until done to preference, 12 minutes on each side for medium. When the patties are cooked, remove from the grill, cover with foil to keep warm. Place the rolls, cut side down, on the warm grill rack to toast lightly. Serve burgers on toasted bread. Top each bread slice with Grey Poupon mustard and a leaf of Romaine lettuce.