Imperial Szechuan Burgers

Asian cuisine is one of my favorites!I wanted to create a burger that would be able to showcase some of the wonderful flavors that Asian cuisine provides.

Ingredients:

Asian-Herb Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped watercress

Bok Choy Salad

1/4 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Weber Roasted Garlic Herb Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

Patties

2 pounds ground chuck
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced white onion
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Szechuan Glaze
1 cup Szechuan Sauce, preferably House of Tsang brand
2 tablespoons lime juice

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 high quality potato hamburger buns, split

Instructions:

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

To make the Asian-herb mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro and watercress in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until assembly of burgers.

To make the salad, whisk olive oil, lime juice, seasoning, salt and black pepper in small bowl. Combine bok choy, green onions and red bell pepper in large bowl. Toss with the dressing to coat. Cover and refrigerate until assembly of burgers.

To make the patties, combine chuck, garlic, onion, ginger, chili sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper in a large bowl, handling the meat as little as possible. Form into 6 patties, loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to grill.

To make the glaze, combine the Szechuan sauce and lime juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium, basting often with the glaze until the desired doneness is reached. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut sides down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the Asian-herb mayonnaise over the cut sides of the bun tops and bottoms. On each bun bottom, place a grilled patty, followed by equal portions of the salad. Add the bun tops and enjoy!

Makes 6 burgers

Dahn Lyttle, Boise, ID