Turkey Parmalicious Burgers with Basil Butter and Baby Romaine Salad with Creamy Merlot Dressing

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:

Merlot Syrup
1 cup White Merlot Wine, prefer Sutter Home

Basil Butter
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 cup Fresh Basil, use the leafs only
2 T. Fresh Oregano, use the leafs only
½ tsp. Salt, prefer fine ground sea salt
1 cup Fine Shredded Parmesan Cheese
4 T. Salted Butter
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, prefer Colavita

Burger Patties
2.4 pounds (2 – 1.2 lb packages) ground turkey (85/15), prefer Organic
3 T. Basil Mix (reserved from Basil Butter)
2 shallots, finely chopped
2/3 cup pasta sauce, prefer Colavita Organic Marinara
½ cup Egg substitute, prefer Egg Beaters
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 ½ tsp. salt, prefer fine ground sea salt
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 T. Chicken Marinade, prefer Lea & Perrins
1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, prefer Colavita
¼ cup fine shredded parmesan cheese
½ cup fine shredded mozzarella cheese
½ tsp crushed red pepper

Burger Topping
1 ½ cup pasta sauce, prefer Colavita Organic Marinara
1 T. Sugar
¼ tsp salt, prefer fine ground sea salt

Creamy Merlot Dressing
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 T. Whole Mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Chicken Marinade, prefer Lea & Perrins
2 T. Merlot Syrup (reserved from merlot wine reduction earlier)
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 T. White Merlot Wine, prefer Sutter Home
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, prefer Colavita

6 French Hamburger Rolls, split, prefer Publix brand
Vegetable Oil, for brushing on grill rack
12 slices Mozzarella Cheese
2 cups Mixed Baby Red & Green Romaine, prefer Organic
2 cups Arugula, prefer Organic
¼ cup Fine Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

Directions

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

To make the Merlot Syrup, add 1 cup white merlot to a small sauce pan. Place sauce pan on a medium grill and bring wine to a boil. Cook until wine is reduced to 2 T (it will be a thin syrup consistency). Remove pan from heat and scrape merlot syrup into a small bowl and set aside for creamy merlot dressing.

To make the Basil Butter, combine garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and ½ cup parmesan cheese in a small food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Take out 3 tablespoons, put in a small bowl and set aside for burger patties. Add remaining ½ cup parmesan cheese, butter and extra virgin olive oil to food processor and pulse to combine thoroughly. Scrape the Basil Butter into a small bowl and set aside.

To make the Burger Patties, combine the ground turkey, reserved basil mix, shallots, pasta sauce, egg substitute, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, chicken marinade, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Form into 6 patties. Push the center of each patty down to create a deep divot for burger topping (sauce pocket). Sprinkle each divot with a little crushed red pepper. Put patties in refrigerator until ready to grill.

To make the burger topping, mix the pasta sauce, sugar and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

To make the Creamy Merlot Dressing combine the garlic powder, salt, pepper, sugar, mayonnaise, mustard and chicken marinade in a medium size bowl and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add reserved merlot syrup, lemon juice and wine and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add extra virgin olive oil in small increments while whisking continuously until oil is emulsified. Cover bowl and set aside.

To make hamburger rolls, spread a thin layer of Basil Butter on the cut side of each roll.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack and cook for 6 minutes. Turn patties and cook 6 more minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165� F. During the last few minutes of cooking, place two heaping spoonfuls of burger topping in the divot side of burger and put two slices of mozzarella cheese on top of sauce. Lower heat and grill the rolls, cut sides down, on the outer edges of the grill. Grill until cheese is melted and rolls are toasted.

In a large bowl, mix baby romaine greens and arugula with ¼ cup parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup of creamy merlot dressing and toss to coat.

To assemble the burgers, place a patty on the cut side of each bottom roll. Top each patty with equal portions of dressed salad greens. Cover with top roll.

Slice Burger in Half and eat. Welcome to Culinary Bliss!

Makes 6 Burgers

Suggested Wine Pairing: Sutter Home White Merlot