Hoisin Glazed Shanghai Burgers with Grilled Bok Choy

Ingredients

1/2 c hoisin sauce
1/4 c Sutter Home Merlot
2 T soy sauce
2 t rice vinegar
Few dashes of Asian chili sauce
Patties
2 lbs ground chuck, preferably \”natural\” and 85 % lean
1/4 c Sutter Home Merlot
2 T fresh ginger root, minced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 8 oz can of water chestnuts, drained and diced
3 T green onions, minced
2 T soy sauce
1 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 T dark sesame oil
1 large red bell pepper, trimmed, seeds removed, and cut lengthwise into 6 slices
1 large green pepper, trimmed, seeds removed, and cut lengthwise into 6 slices
3-4 small bunches bok choy, large outer leaves with white stalk, washed – 18 leaves (3 per burger)
6 sesame seed buns, split

Instructions

Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high heat. To make the hoisin glaze, combine in a medium sized bowl the hoisin sauce, Merlot, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Asian chili sauce, mix well and set aside. For patties, combine ground chuck, Merlot, ginger root, garlic, water chestnuts, green onions, soy sauce, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Handle the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties. Cover and refrigerate until needed. When the grill is ready, pour hoisin glaze mixture into a fire proof sauce pan, place pan on grill and bring glaze to a gentle boil. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes until it thickens. Remove from grill and set aside. Mix vegetable oil and sesame oil in a small bowl. Brush grill with oil and place patties on grill, cook 5 minutes, then turn over and spread a generous T of glaze on each patty. Cook patties another 4-5 minutes or until desired doneness (medium recommended). While patties are cooking, add red and green bell pepper slices and bok choy to outer part of grill, brush with oil and cook about 3 minutes each side. As red and green bell peppers, and bok choy finish cooking, move them to a cooler area of the grill. Place buns, cut side down, to the outer edge of the grill to toast lightly. Remove cooked patties, red and green bell peppers, bok choy and buns as they finish cooking and keep covered to keep warm. To assemble burgers, on bun bottoms, place 3 bok choy leaves on each of them, place cooked patties on top. Spread patties with more glaze and add a few red and green red pepper slices on top of each. Finish with tops of buns.