MAMA MIA! THAT’SA HOT BURGER

Pairs well with:

Merlot

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

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 cup Colavita Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Merlot Sutter Home Wine
Patties:
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground round
6 tablespoon steak sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Coating for Patties:
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup course black pepper
Grilling:
Vegetable oil for brushing on the grill rack
6 slices (1/2 inch thick) fresh mozzarella cheese
6 fresh sesame and/or poppy seed top Kaiser rolls, split
Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for brushing Kaiser Rolls
3 large garlic cloves (sliced in half)
6 slices (1/4 inch thick) large tomato slices
12 large clean fresh basil leaves
Prepared sauce

 

Instructions

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

To make sauce: combine 1 cup Colavita Balsamic Vinegar and 1/4 cup Merlot Sutter Home Wine in a small fire proof sauce pan. Place on grill, cover and reduce liquid to a syrup, about 1/4 cup, stir occasionally. 15 – 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set in freezer or on ice to quickly cool.

To make patties: combine 1 pound ground chuck, 1 pound ground round, 6 tablespoon steak sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Handle the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Mix well and divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into 6 patties. Cover and set aside. (This could be done while your sauce is being reduce).

Coating for Patties: combine in a flat container 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh basil leaves, 1 tablespoon Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1/2 cup course black pepper. Gently stir. (This could be done while your sauce is being reduce). Coat both sides of the patties with the mixture, pressing slightly to adhere.

Grilling: when ready to grill, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning only once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. Place the fresh mozzarella cheese slices on the patties during the last 3 minutes of grilling. During the last few minutes of cooking, brush the cut side of the fresh Kaiser rolls with Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil and place the rolls cut side down on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. Remove.

Allow patties to rest a few minutes.

To assemble: Rub the fresh sliced garlic on each cut side of the toasted fresh Kaiser rolls. On each roll bottom, add one sliced tomato, patty (that is covered with melted mozzarella cheese), 2 fresh basil leaves and then drizzle the reduced balsamic vinegar sauce over the fresh basil leaves (about 3/4 – 1 teaspoon). Add the roll tops and serve.