Tres Amigos Burgers, resubmitted w/ revised comments

Pairs well with:

Pinot Noir

Every pour of our Pinot Noir brings you a delicious blend of berry flavors and the romantic aroma of violet.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
3 teaspoons granulated garlic
3 teaspoons chipolte powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 slices spanish serrano ham thinly sliced (10 to 12 ounces)

12 slices manchego cheese (12 to 14 ounces)

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced 1/8 inch thick

chimichurri sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

6 slider sized crusty rolls

Instructions:

FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon blanched garlic minced (3 cloves)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Blanching the garlic reduces the raw garlic of it’s bitter bite and mellows out the flavor.
To blanch the garlic put the unpeeled cloves into boiling water for 1 minute.
Removed from boiling water and plunge into ice water until cool. Unpeel.

Stir together the vinegar, water, garlic, salt,
red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

Whisk in oil and parsley until combined.
Let stand for 30 mintues at room temperature.

FOR THE BURGERS:
In a small bowl mix the smoked paprika, granulated garlic, chipolte and salt.
Add the hamburger to a large bowl and mix in spice mix.
Divide the meat into 6 portions of 4 oz. each. Form each portion into a patty.
Wrap 2 slices of Serrano ham criss-crossing on one side of the hamburger patties.
Flatten the ham onto the burger to adhere as well as wrapping and adhering the overlap
of the ham on the other side.

PREPARE THE ROLLS:
Slice the rolls so that the bottom is roughly 1/4 the height of the bun.
Pull out and discard some of the bread from the top.
Brush each side of the buns with the olive oil.

Heat a gas grill to high or burn coals in a charcoal grill until they glow bright and ash over.

Grill the burgers ham side down, with the grill covered, until moister starts to bead
on the top of the burgers and the ham becomes crusty and charred, about 4-5 minutes.

Flip the burgers and cook until lightly charred on the second side, 4 minutes more
for medium rare, or until cooked to desired doneness.

Put the oiled hamburger buns on the grill and toast until the sides are golden.

Add 2 slices of cheese to the tops of the burgers during the last minute of cooking.
When cheese is melted serve immediately topped with a large spoonful of the chimichurri sauce
and sliced onions.