Peppered Onion Burgers with Balsamic Avocados, Au Gratin Cilantro Tomatoes and Honey Wine Barbeque Sauce

Ingredients

Patties
1 Lb. Ground Chuck
1 Lb. Ground Sirloin
1 Tablespoon of ‘Colavita’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/4 Cups, finely diced sweet yellow onion
2 Tablespoons Red Bell pepper, seeds and inner spine removed, finely diced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, finely minced and crushed
1 Tablespoon Jalapeno pepper, seeds and inner spine removed, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon of ground Paprika
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground sea salt or kosher salt
Balsamic Avocados
1 1/4 Cups Avocado, sliced and diced
1/8 teaspoon of ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon of ‘Colavita’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon ‘Colavita’ Balsamic, Sweet Vinegar of Modena
Au Gratin Cilantro Tomatoes
1 Cup, vine ripe cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, diced
1 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, finely diced
6 ounces, Colby & high moisture Monterey Jack Cheese, grated Honey Wine Barbeque Sauce
1 Tablespoon, sautéed peppered onions, reserved from cooked ingredients of the patty recipe
2/3 Cup Steak Sauce
2 Tablespoons ‘Sutter Home’ Merlot wine
4 Tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons (packed) light brown granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of Smoked Chipotle Pepper Sauce
‘Colavita’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing the grill rack
6 Golden Egg Buns (No Trans Fat!) with sesame seeds
2 Cups shredded romaine lettuce
12 Pre-cooked slices of ‘Ready to Serve’ Bacon

Instructions

Directions Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high. To make peppered onions for patties and barbeque sauce: Into a 10-inch non-stick, grill-safe skillet, add olive oil, yellow onion, red bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno pepper, paprika, and ground pepper. Mix well, to coat ingredients in olive oil. Place skillet on grill rack and cook over medium-high heat, stirring and cooking until golden brown about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer the sautéed peppered onions into a small bowl. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the mixture, setting-aside to use as an ingredient for cooking the barbeque sauce. To make Balsamic Avocados: Combine avocados, cumin, and olive oil in a small bowl. Toss lightly to coat the avocados in olive oil and cumin. Add balsamic vinegar. Toss lightly to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving. To heat ‘Ready to Serve’ bacon: Into the same 10-inch non-stick skillet, previously used to sauté peppered onions, add slices of bacon. Place skillet on grill rack and cook over medium-high heat, cook for 30 seconds, turn bacon slices over and cook for another 30 seconds, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove skillet from heat; lift bacon out and place onto several layers of paper towels to absorb excess drippings. Set bacon aside until ready to use. Reserve drippings remaining in skillet to make Honey Wine Barbeque Sauce. To make Honey Wine Barbeque Sauce: Into the same 10-inch non-stick skillet, containing the reserved bacon drippings, add 1 Tablespoon of the reserved sautéed peppered onions, steak sauce, Merlot wine, honey, brown sugar, and Chipotle pepper sauce. Place skillet on grill rack and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until mixture is bubbling and the sauce slightly thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from grill; pour contents into small bowl, cover and set-aside until serving. To make Au Gratin Cilantro Tomatoes: Combine tomatoes and cilantro in a small bowl. Toss to mix. Add cheese, toss lightly to mix. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use. To make patties: In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, sautéed peppered onions, and sea salt. With a dinner fork, gently toss and mix ingredients, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. For ease in forming the patties: cut six sheets of wax paper or butcher’s wrap into sizes slightly larger than the buns, lightly form meat into 6 large meat balls, place one ball onto each sheet of paper, then shape each ball into a patty that will fit the roll. Brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place patties on the rack, cover, and grill until browned on the bottoms, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn patties over, top each patty with an equal portion of Cheese Cilantro Tomato mixture. Cover and continue grilling until done to preference, about 4 to 5 minutes longer for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. To assemble burgers: Spread an equal portion of the Wine Barbeque Sauce on the cut sides of each roll. On each bottom, place two strips of bacon then top with a burger patty with the au gratin cilantro tomato side up. On the top, cut side of roll; place an equal portion of shredded romaine lettuce, top with balsamic avocados. Carefully add tops to bottoms and serve.