Buenos Aires Burger with Chimichurri Mayo and Pickled Red Onions

When I travel I tend to seek out restaurants featuring cuisines I am not familiar with or are not available where I live.For me, part of the adventure of travel is not only coming home with wonderful memories but wonderful recipes, as well. While most of my favorite finds have been right here in the USA, it makes me thankful to live in a country where people graciously share their heritage and family recipes. My inspiration for this burger came to be after an incredible meal at a family-owned Argentinean restaurant. As a result, chimchurri has become my favorite “go to” condiment; it seems to enhance everything it touches. From the herb-studded chimichurri mayo, the tart/sweet pickled onions, to the smoky provolone; the balance of flavors in these robust beef burgers is perfection.

Ingredients:

Pickled Red Onions

2 tablespoons Colavita Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

Chimichurri Mayo

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons Colavita Red Wine Vinegar

1 teaspoon TABASCO Chipotle Pepper Sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2/3 cup mayonnaise

Patties

2 pounds ground chuck

2 teaspoons TABASCO Chipotle Pepper Sauce

1/2 cup drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed)

1/3 cup grated onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack

6 slices smoked provolone cheese (6 to 8 ounces)

6 soft Kaiser rolls, split

6 crisp lettuce leaves

12 California avocado slices

1 (or 2?) bottles Sutter Home Zinfandel

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium-hot or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.

To make the pickled red onions, whisk together vinegar, sugar and salt in medium glass bowl. Add red onion; toss well. Refrigerate. (Drain before serving.)

To make the chimichurri mayo, combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic, vinegar, pepper sauce, salt, and olive oil in a food processor; process until finely chopped and blended. Add mayo; process until just combined. Remove to a small bowl and refrigerate until serving.

To make the patties, combine the beef chuck, pepper sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, oregano, salt, and cumin in a large bowl, handling as little as possible. Shape into 6 patties to fit the bun size.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with 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. Place the cheese slices on the patties during the last 3 minutes of grilling. Place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

To assemble the burgers, spread the chimichurri mayo over the cut sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place a lettuce leaf, a cheese-topped patty, an equal portion of the (drained) pickled red onions, and 2 avocado slices. Add the roll tops and serve.

Fill six glasses with Sutter Home Zinfandel; sip, savor and repeat as necessary!

Makes 6 burgers