Casablanca Burger

Pairs well with:

Sauvignon Blanc

With hints of passion fruit, melon, and citrus, this wine beckons you to kick back and find a perfect porch swing.

Ingredients

3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. cumin
1/8 t. ground cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
1 small sweet onion (Vidalia or similar), finely chopped
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
2 pounds ground chuck
1T butter
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia or similar), thinly sliced
2 T honey
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup Roma tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2T. flat leaf parsley, chopped
2T. mint, chopped
1 t. lemon zest
Juice of ½ lemon
1 T. Extra virgin olive oil
¾ pound good quality goat cheese, sliced
6 whole-grain buns

 

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium-high.

To make patties, combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Add this spice mix, chopped onion, and fresh herbs to the ground chuck in large bowl and mix to evenly distribute all ingredients. Form into 6 equal patties sized to fit the buns, cover in plastic and set aside.

To prepare the onion and raisin sauté, melt butter in nonstick saucepan and add sliced onion. Cook until onion is soft and golden, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add honey, cinnamon, raisins, and salt, then continue to cook until a rich golden-brown caramel color develops, about another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off heat, cover with foil, and set aside.

To prepare salsa, combine all salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss gently, cover with plastic, and set aside in refrigerator or cooler.

When grill is hot, add patties to cooking surface. Cook approximately 6-7 minutes per side, turning only once. Add sliced cheese and cook with lid down until just melted, approximately one minute.

At the same time patties are cooking, lightly toast buns cut side down on grill.

To assemble, add 1/6 of the onion and raisin sauté to each bun bottom, followed by one burger patty, and topped with 1/6 of the cucumber, tomato, and red onion salsa. Crown with a toasted bun top, and serve.