Baby Bella Burgers with Goat Cheese

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

Patties:
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground sirloin
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Zinfandel
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Baby Bella Mixture:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
8 ounce package baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing grill rack
1 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
6 Kaiser Rolls, split
6 ounces goat cheese
24 arugula leaves

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the patties, combine the chuck, sirloin, shallots, basil, Zinfandel, salt and pepper in 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 rolls. Heat olive oil in pan and sauté garlic for two minutes. Add baby portabello mushrooms and sauté until just tender. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer garlic and baby portabellas to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Brush the grill grate with the 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. Combine melted butter and basil, brush cut sides of rolls with butter mixture and in last few minutes of cooking the burgers, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of grill rack to lightly toast; close grill. To assemble burgers, on each roll bottom, place 4 leaves of arugula, a patty and an equal portion of mushroom mixture. On the roll top, spread a generous amount of the goat cheese; add roll top to burger and serve. Makes 6 burgers.