The Virginia HAM burger with creamy crab salad and gilled caramelized tomato garnish AKA the surf and turf

Pairs well with:

White Merlot

Imagine sipping a lighter Merlot. This fresh, pale-pink wine is a nice change from traditional red or white wines.

Ingredients

Chrissie’s creamy crab salad (the surf)
1/2-cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Tabasco with chipotle
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
3 scallions diced
1 lime juiced
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 pt lump crabmeat, picked over for shell and cartilage

Inside out patty (the turf)
1/4-cup peanuts
1/4-cup honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3-cup sweet onion grated
2 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning
2 lbs ground chuck 80\20 mix
6 slices of spiral ham (I used Smithfield) NOT the salt cured country ham
1 container President brand Wee Brie or 6 deli slices of Monterey Jack cheese

Grilled caramelized tomato garnish
1 pt grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
2-tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2-tablespoon olive oil
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/4-teaspoon pepper

Vegetable oil for brushing on the grill
A spray bottle filled with apple juice for the flair ups
6 Kaiser rolls split
1/3 cup chopped chives

 

Instructions

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

For the crab salad, in a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, Tabasco, parsley, scallions, limejuice, salt and pepper. Gently fold in crabmeat. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For the inside out burger, in a food processor combine peanuts, honey and soy. Pulse until peanuts are small chunks. In a large bowl, gently using your hands, combine peanut mixture, onion, steak seasoning and chuck. Divide the ground chuck into 12 equal portions and shape each into a loose ball. Form each of these balls into a patty. Lay one piece of ham and one piece of cheese on top of a patty and cover with another patty. Gently shape the meat around the filling, sealing it inside. Repeat with remaining beef, ham and cheese. This should make a total of 6 patties. Place the patties on a tray and refrigerate until ready to cook.

To make the garnish, put the tomatoes in a medium bowl and toss with the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes on a grill topper and grill 2-5 minutes shaking the topper occasionally until softened and caramelized. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

When the grill is ready, brush with oil. Cover and cook patties for 7-9 minutes per side, or until the meat reaches 160 degrees. If any flair ups occur spritz with apple juice. Place the buns cut side down on the outer edge of the grill rack to toast for 2-3 minutes.

To assemble the burgers, on each roll bottom place a patty; followed by an equal portion of crab salad. Garnish the crab salad with chopped chives and three or four tomato halves. Add the roll top and serve

Yields 6 burgers.