GRILLED SWEET SPICED ARGENTINE GARLIC BURGERS

Pairs well with:

Merlot

Get cozy and get pouring. Our Merlot is the wine for long weekends and lengthy chats.

After taking a trip to South America, we loved the flavor of sweet spiced garlic beef sandwiches.

Ingredients:

Sweet Spiced Argentine Garlic Sauce:
5 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed chipotle peppers
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4 cloves garlic, minced

Patties:
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
36 ounces 85-15 ground beef round
1-1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 tomatoes, halved, sliced in strips
1/2 cup roasted pepper strips
3 Tablespoons chopped chives

1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon honey
6 sesame seed hamburger buns, split
6 lettuce leaves

Instructions:

To prepare Sweet Spiced Argentine Garlic Sauce: Place all sauce ingredients together; mix all until well blended. Set aside.

To prepare patties: In a large bowl, mix salt, pepper, and 3 Tablespoons garlic sauce; mix into ground beef. Shape mixture into 12 patties (about 4-1/2 inches in diameter) Press depression in center of four burgers.

Press 1/4 cup cheese together; place cheese ball in center of each depression. Top each with the remaining beef patties; pinching edges together to seal.

To prepare topping: Place sliced tomatoes, pepper strips, and chives into remaining garlic sauce to marinade. Set aside.

Heat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat, spray racks with grill spray.

Place patties on preheated grill; cover grill; cook about 12 minutes; turning once or until patties are medium cooked.

In a small bowl, combine butter, cinnamon, and honey; brush cut sides of buns.

The last 2 minutes of grilling, place buns, cut sides down on grill until lightly toasted.

Remove vegetables from marinade with slotted spoon; set aside.

Heat marinade until hot; dip cooked burgers in marinade to cover; remove burgers to platter.

Place 1 lettuce leaf on bottom halves of buns, place burger on lettuce; top with reserved tomato pepper mixture; close with bun top.

Yield: 6 Burgers