The Stuffed Godfather Burgers

Ingredients

Tomato Basil Salsa
1 large tomato- seeded and chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil- chopped

1 tablespoon Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dash of freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup mayonnaise

Olive Stuffing
3/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives- chopped

1/2 cup pitted ripe olives- chopped

1/2 cup parmesan cheese- grated

Patties
2 pounds ground chuck

1/2 cup Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon

1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano- finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon fresh basil- finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 slices Provolone cheese

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack

Bread
1 long loaf Italian bread with rosemary crust

2 cloves of garlic- minced

1/2 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 romaine lettuce leaves

 

Instructions

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

To make salsa, combine tomato and basil in a bowl. Drain moisture from mixture. Add olive oil and pepper. Mix well to combine. Fold in mayonnaise. Refrigerate until serving.

To make olive stuffing, combine green olives, ripe olives and parmesan chese in a bowl. Mix well to combine. Set aside.

To make patties combine ground chuck, Cabernet Sauvignon, oregano, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the patties into 12 equal portions and form into 12 thin patties . Leaving a 1/2 inch edge around the patties uncovered, place 3 tablespoons of olive stuffing in the center of the patties. Place a slice of provolone cheese on top of the olive stuffing leaving a 1/2 inch edge around the patties uncovered. If necessary, cut the provolone cheese to fit. Place the remaining 6 patties on top of the provolone cheese. Press edges together to seal in filling.

To prepare the bread, split loaf of bread lengthwise. Cut off round ends. Make 6 approximtely 3 inch slices crosswise. Set bread slices aside. In a saucepan, combine garlic and olive oil. Place saucepan on the outer edge of the grill rack to warm and infuse.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and grill, turning once for 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium burgers. Rare is not reccommended as stuffing is best warmed and melted.

During the last minutes of cooking, remove saucepan and brush the tops and cut sides of bread with the warmed garlic oil mixture. Place the bread, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble yout Godfather burgers, place a generous amount of tomato basil salsa over the cut sides of the bread. On each roll bottom, place a patty and a lettuce leaf. Add the bread tops and serve.

Makes 6 Godfather burgers

Eric Fortman, Columbus Grove, Ohio