Spanish Spiced Burger with Smokey Romesco Sauce, Charred Scallions, and Manchego Cheese

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients:

Smokey Romesco Sauce
1/3 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, patted dry
1 Roma tomato, halved
1 slice white bread, crust removed, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup smoked almonds
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Charred Scallions
24 scallions, washed thoroughly
2 tablespoons of Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Patties
1 2/3 lbs ground chuck
1/3 lb dry cured Chorizo Sausage, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated Spanish onion
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
3/4 lb of Manchego Cheese, thinly sliced
6 good-quality hamburger buns, split

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high, or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover.
To make the sauce, place a large heavy nonstick fire proof pan on the grill. Add olive oil to the pan and heat until the oil starts to smoke. Separately saute the garlic, bell pepper, tomato, and bread cubes until lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes each. Remove each ingredient with a slotted spoon as it is done. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar. Place all sauteed ingredients, the deglazing liquid and the almonds into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the honey, Chipotle Tabasco Sauce, salt and pepper and process until blended. Place sauce in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
To prepare the scallions, place scallions in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt. Toss together to ensure all of the scallions are coated with the oil and salt. Carefully place scallions across the grates of the grill to ensure they don’t fall through. Grill scallions until lightly charred, turning once, about 4-5 minutes. Remove scallions from the grill, cut off the root end and discard it, wrap scallions in foil to keep warm and set aside.
To make patties, combine ground chuck, chorizo, onion, salt, cumin, coriander, and red pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the buns. Using your thumb, make a small indentation in the middle of the patty to prevent the burger from swelling during cooking.
When the grill is ready, 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. Place the cheese slices on the patties during the last 3 minutes of grilling. Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly during the last 2 minutes of grilling.
To assemble the burgers place the cheese topped patties on the bottom portion of each bun. Top each patty with 4 of the charred scallions and a dollop of the romesco sauce. Add the bun tops and serve.
Makes 6 burgers