Umami Mushroom & Swiss Mac & Cheeseburgers
Ingredients
- Cucumbers:
- 1 medium English cucumber, sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon gochugaru chili flakes
- Bacon:
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut in half widthwise
- 2 tablespoons plum sauce
- Reconstituted Shiitake Mushrooms:
- 1/3 Cup pea sized pieces of dried shiitake mushrooms (be sure not to use any tough bits)
- 1 Cup Sutter Home Pinot Noir
- Mac & Cheese:
- 3 Cups al dente cooked macaroni noodles
- 1 Cup whole milk
- 3 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 4 ounces freshly shredded Swiss cheese, at room temperature
- Mushrooms & Onion:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved & thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 6 ounces baby shiitake mushroom caps or sliced regular shiitake mushroom caps
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Reserved wine from reconstituted dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Panko:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3/4 Cup plain panko
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Burgers:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 green onions (dark green parts only)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Reconstituted dried mushrooms
- 2/3 Cup of the toasted panko
- 2 Pounds ground pork
- Buns:
- 6 sesame brioche buns (with black or white sesame seeds) or other good quality sesame buns
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Cucumbers:
- In a shallow dish toss together all ingredients. Cover & chill until assembling burger.
- Bacon:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place bacon on wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until almost crisp. Carefully blot tops of bacon with paper towels to remove excess grease. Brush with plum sauce. Return to the oven & bake an additional 2-4 minutes or until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Reconstituted Shiitake Mushrooms:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat bring the mushrooms & wine to a simmer. Remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms using a slotted spoon & set aside. Strain liquid through 12 layers of cheese cloth. Reserve strained liquid.
- Mac & Cheese:
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk & heat until milk starts to steam. Turn heat to low. In a small bowl mash together the cream cheese & miso. Whisk the cream cheese mixture & Swiss into the milk. Whisking constantly, cook until cheese is fully melted. Stir in the cooked macaroni. Remove from heat, keeping warm.
- Mushrooms & Onion:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil, onion, sugar, salt, & pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms. Cook until onion & mushrooms are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute longer. Add reserved wine from dried mushrooms & soy sauce. Cook until liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
- Toasted panko:
- In a small saucepan over medium low heat add canola & sesame oil. Once hot, stir in panko & salt. Stirring often, cook until golden brown. Remove to a bowl & let cool.
- Burgers:
- Preheat a greased gas grill to medium heat. In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the oil, green onions, & garlic. Cook until onions & garlic are softened, then pour into a large bowl. Stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire, five spice, salt, pepper, reconstituted mushrooms, & 2/3 Cup panko. Allow mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Add the pork & mix gently until combined. Form into 6 patties that are slightly larger than the buns. Make a 1/2 inch indentation in the center of each patty. Place patties on grill & cover. Grill patties on each side for 4-6 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F or to the desired degree of doneness. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Buns:
- Brush cut sides of buns lightly with oil. Grill until lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes.
- For Assembly:
- Drain cucumbers & place a thin layer on each bottom bun. Top with burgers. Crisscross 2 bacon halves over each burger, then spoon on the mushroom & onion mixture. Top each burger with about 1/3 Cup of the macaroni. Reserve remaining macaroni for another use. Sprinkle burgers with remaining panko. Replace top buns.