Triple-Onion French Onion Soup Burger

Ingredients

Onions:
2 tablespoons Colavita ExtraVirgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, halved and sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup Sutter Home White Cabernet Sauvignon

Patties:
1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Sutter Home White Cabernet Sauvignon
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds ground sirloin or ground strip steak

Spicy Shallot Ketchup:
1 tablespoon Colavita ExtraVirgin Olive Oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce

2 – 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing the grill grates
6 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons softened butter
12 slices good-quality rye bread
1/2 cup canned French fried onions

Instructions

Preheat gas grill to medium-high or prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover.

For onions, heat olive oil and butter in a grill-proof skillet. Add onions, salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened. Add brown sugar and wine; cook an additional 5 minutes or until wine has evaporated. Transfer onions to a double sheet of aluminum foil and wrap to keep warm.

For patties, combine Worcestershire sauce, wine, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add beef and mix with the seasonings, handling the meat as little as possible. Form meat into 6 flat, oval patties that fit the bread slices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or place in cooler.

For shallot ketchup, heat oil in the same skillet used for onions. Add shallots and garlic; cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a small bowl. Add ketchup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce; mix well and set aside

To cook the burgers, brush the grill grate with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, turning only once. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, place a spoonful of onions and a mound of cheese on each patty. Butter one side of each slice of bread; toast butter-side down on the outer edges of the grill until lightly browned.

To assemble the burgers, spread the toasted sides of 6 bread slices with spicy shallot ketchup. On each slice, place a burger topped with onions and cheese, some French fried onions and another slice of toasted bread.

Makes 6 burgers