Jersey Tomato Burger with Shallot, Mushrooms and Cheddar

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Introduction: New Jersey, The Garden State! Nothing represents New Jersey’s rich history of quality locally grown produce like the “Jersey Tomato.” The uglier and more cracked that a Jersey tomato appears, the juicier and sweeter it tastes. The Jersey tomato is the key to the great taste of this burger. The tomato is in the middle of this burger, so its juices seep throughout while it’s cooking. The result is a succulent burger with the great tastes of the Jersey tomato oozing all the way through.

Ingredients:

Patties

1 NJ tomato (blanched, peeled and sliced)

6 shallots (sliced)

11/2-2 tablespoons butter

1/3-1/2 cup Sutter Home Red Zinfandel

3 cloves chopped garlic

¾ cup of chopped fresh cilantro

¾ cup of chopped fresh dill

2 lbs of fresh ground beef

½ cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 lb of NY sharp cheddar cheese sliced ¼ inch thick

Shallot Mushroom topping

1 tablespoon butter

6 shallots (sliced)

3 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms

3 tablespoons Sutter Home Red Zinfandel

Dill Mayonnaise

2 cups of Hellman’s Mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil for grill

6 whole wheat ciabatta rolls

Instructions:

Directions:

Preheat gas grill to medium high.

To make the mayonnaise, whisk together mayonnaise and dill in a small bowl. Cover with wrap and set aside on top of ice.

When grill is hot place a small frying pan on the grill. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Add the sliced shallots and sauté until caramelized. Add wine with the chopped cilantro, dill and garlic. Stir and let heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and save to add to the patties.

To prepare the patties, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, wine, salt, and above sauté mixture in a small bowl and then mix gently with hands. Prepare 12 round patties and place on cutting board. Place a slice of tomato and 2 pieces of cheddar cheese to 6 of the patties. Cover those patties with the remaining 6 patties and seal the sides. Make sure the sides are fully sealed so the tomato and cheese do not leak out. Cover and place on ice.

To make the topping, use the same small frying pan from above and add the butter. Once melted, sauté the sliced shallots and sliced mushrooms. Add the wine. Heat for 1-2 minutes or until most of the wine has evaporated. Remove from heat and save for after patties are cooked.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the dill mayonnaise to the bottom half of the rolls. Add a patty and a generous portion of the shallot, mushroom topping. Place the top of the roll next to it to serve open faced.