A Wiseguy’s Mediterranean Burger Experience

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Colavita Olive Oil for brushing grill

Patties:
2 pounds freshly ground Chuck
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
3/4 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground White Pepper
6 tablespoons Grey Poupon, Country Dijon

Balsamic Topping:
2 diced Roma Tomatoes
12 minced medium Pimento stuffed Green Olives
2 finely minced Shallots
2 finely minced medium cloves Garlic
2 tablespoons Colavita Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Powder

Spread:
1/2 cup Hellmann’s Canola Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Ground White Pepper

Rolls:
1/2 cup Salted Butter
4 minced cloves Garlic
6 Poppy Seed Kaiser Rolls (halved)
1/4 pound Fresh Spinach Leaves
3/4 pound crumbled Feta Cheese

Instructions

Preheat your grill to medium-high (closer to high, the added moisture in the patties makes it harder to sear properly), be sure to properly clean the grates and season with Olive Oil to avoid sticking.

To prepare patties: Put Ground Chuck into large bowl. In a small bowl combine Salt, Black Pepper and White Pepper, then lightly mix into Ground Chuck. Now add Country Dijon and again lightly mix in. The reason I do this in two steps is to avoid having the spices “clump” up in the Country Dijon and not get a nice even mixture. Next form 6 equal patties, about 6 ounces each and 3/4″ thick.

To prepare the Balsamic Topping: In a small bowl mix tomatoes, green olives, shallots, and garlic. In a separate small bowl lightly whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, oregano and cayenne powder, then stir into tomato mixture and set aside.

To prepare the spread, simply mix into a small bowl the mayonnaise and white pepper, set aside in the refrigerator.

To prepare the buns, heat a small cast iron saucepan on the grill, add butter and garlic. Once butter has melted and begins to bubble, remove from heat and brush liberally onto both halves of the rolls and set aside. The rolls will be added to the grill to toast when the patties are flipped.

Once the grill reaches temperature, place each patty, equally spaced and close the lid. After 90 seconds, lift lid and carefully lift and rotate the patty 90 degrees ( this is strictly for appearance, the perfect grill marks) close the lid. After another 90 seconds lift lid and flip, this is when you want to add the Rolls to the grill, butter side down, close the lid and wait another 90 seconds. Now lift lid and rotate patties 90 degrees and close lid. In 90 more seconds lift lid and place patties and Rolls onto a platter.

To assemble: Remove spread from refrigerator and spread a thin coat on top half of each roll and set aside. Place 3 spinach leaves on each bottom half, add patty, then a generous scoop of Balsamic Topping, then a tablespoon of Feta crumbles and finally add top half of roll.