Cinque Terre Burger with walnut-herb-parmesan sauce and sweet-sour cipolline

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:

Sauce:
– 1 cup walnuts
– 1 finely chopped clove of garlic
– 1 cup finely chopped garden herbs and micro-greens(such as sweet majoram, borage, garden burnet, beetroot)
– 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
– 1/2 cup fresh soft bread crumbs
– 1/4 cup milk
– 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Patties:
– 2 pounds ground sirloin
– 2 eggs
– 1/2 cup fresh soft bread crumbs
– 1/4 cup water
– 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsely
– 1 teaspoon salt

Sweet-sour cipolline:
– 3 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 cup cipolline onions, peeled and cut in half
– 2 tablespoons sugar
– 1/2 cup red vinegar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Hamburger Potato buns

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
To prepare the sauce, in a blender combine the walnuts, the garlic, the garden herbs, and the olive oil.
In a separate bowl soften the bread crumbs with the milk, and then pour in the herb mixture and the grated parmesan.

To prepare the patties combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Combine well, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Form into 6 patties and refrigerate until ready to grill.

To prepare the cipolline, place the oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, adding water if needed. Add the sugar, the vinegar and the salt, and cook for a couple more minutes.
When ready to grill, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until the desired doneness is reached. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns cut sides down on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.
To assemble the burgers, spread the sauce over the cut sides of the bun tops. Place a patty on each bun bottom and top with equal portions of the cipolline. Add the bun tops and buon appetito!
Makes 6 burgers