All That Jazz Pastram “eh” Burger

Pairs well with:

White Merlot

Imagine sipping a lighter Merlot. This fresh, pale-pink wine is a nice change from traditional red or white wines.

I was inspired with all the fall vegetables in the gardens and farmers markets to pickle them for this burger creation bringing in the best of both worlds. Fresh garden veggies, spiced deli pastrami and the hearty beefy burger; then comes the sweet n spiced horseradish sauce as the lingering flavor. All this in one burger paired with a crisp, berry filled Sutter Home White Merlot

Ingredients:

Pickled Onions and Carrots:

11/2 cups white wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 small red onions, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

4 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Horseradish Raspberry Sauce:

1/4 cup red raspberry preserves

1/2 cup creamy horseradish sauce

Pastrami:

2 pounds peppered deli pastrami, thinly sliced

3/4 cup Sutter Home White Merlot

Patties:

2 1/4 pounds ground chuck

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup creamy horseradish sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable oil for coating grill racks

6 thick sliced of Swiss cheese

6 rye hamburger buns; split (such as Klosterman Baking Company)

3 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 small iceberg lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

For pickled vegetables: combine vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaf, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a medium grill proof saucepan. Place on pre heated grill and bring to a boil. Add onions, carrots and cilantro; boil for 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and remove bay leaf; set aside to cool.

For horseradish raspberry sauce: in a small bowl combine raspberry preserves and horseradish sauce.

For pastrami: In a large grill proof skillet combine pastrami and Sutter Home White Merlot. Place skillet on preheated grill and cook until wine has been cooked down and pastrami is heated through, about 8 minutes.

For burger patties: In a large bowl combine ground chuck, red onion and creamy horseradish sauce, salt and pepper. Mix together gently, handling the meat as little as possible. Divide into 6 equal patties.

Brush grill racks with vegetable oil. Place patties on hot grill racks, cook 4-5 minutes. Turn patties and cook another 3 minutes or until desired doneness. Placing cheese on patties last minute of grilling. Remove from grill and tent burgers with foil to let rest. While burgers are resting brush split side of buns with olive oil and place oiled side on grill racks to toast lightly.

To assemble burgers: spread a small amount of horseradish raspberry sauce on bottom half of buns. Place a lettuce leaf over sauce then top with a burger. Cover each burger evenly with pastrami. With a slotted spoon, spoon pickled vegetables over center of pastrami. Spread remaining horseradish raspberry sauce over each top half of bun and replace over pickled vegetables. Serve

Makes 6 burgers