Sonoma Surprise Burgers

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

(Use organic ingredients whenever possible)
Zinfandel Butter Sauce
2 cups Sutter Home Zinfandel
1 c. butter
Toppings
2 medium ripe avocados
1 small lime Salt, for avocado and burgers
6 Italian individual flat breads or ciabatta, split
2 small Granny Smith green apples
12 oz. Brie cheese, thinly sliced (paper rind can be removed, per preference)
6 small handfuls of baby spinach, washed
6 small Campari tomatoes on the vine, washed and sliced into 4 equal slices
Patties
2 pounds ground natural sirloin
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt-free meat grilling spices
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing on grill rack and for brushing on burgers

 

Instructions

Directions Preheat a gas grill to medium heat. In medium sauce pan suitable for grilling, place wine in pan and on gas grill over heat. Boil approximately 20-30 minutes; when liquid has reduced by half, take pan off heat and put in butter. Set aside. While the wine is reducing, prepare toppings. Cut avocados down the middle and remove pit. Scoop out avocados and place in bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half the lime over the avocados; add pinch of salt. With fork, mash avocados and set aside. Slice each apple into 3 thick slices, removing core from middle of slice. With the remaining half lime, squeeze juice over apples covering all slices. Separate Brie into 6 equal piles. Transfer all toppings back to refrigerator. To make patties, combine all ingredients for patties and add 2 tablespoons of Zinfandel butter sauce and 2 pinches of salt, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into square patties to fit the flat breads. Cover and refrigerate patties for 15-30 minutes so flavors can combine. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 3-4 minutes on each side for medium. Brush patties with Zinfandel butter on each side, prior and after turning. During the last few minutes of cooking, brush insides of flat bread with remaining Zinfandel butter and carefully place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with apple slices, followed by cheese slices. Turn off heat and allow cheese to melt and then remove patties from grill. To assemble burgers, place a generous amount of mashed avocados on the bottom half of the flat bread, followed by a small handful of baby spinach, sliced tomatoes, and a patty. Add the bread tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.