Goat Cheese Stuffed Burger with Honey Mustard Pepper Mayo, Roasted Red Peppers and Calimyrna Figs
Ingredients
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
2 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tsp. for mayo, 1/2 tsp. for patties
2 lbs. ground beef chuck, 80% lean
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup minced shallot
3 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives
3 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
6 oz. goat cheese, Chavrie if available
vegetable oil for wiping grill rack
6 soft Kaiser rolls, about 4 inches in diameter, split
12 slices precooked bacon
6 crisp boston lettuce leaves
1 1/2 cups diced Calimyrna figs, stems removed
12 large pieces roasted red pepper, from a jar, drained
Instructions
To make the Honey Mustard Pepper Mayo, combine mayonnaise, Dijon Mustard, honey and 2 tsp. pepper, reserving additional pepper for patties, in a small bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers. To make the patties, combine chuck, salt, Worcestershire, shallot, chives, thyme, and reserved 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large mixing bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Form the portions into patties sized to fit the rolls. Divide the goat cheese evenly among 6 patties. Top those 6 patties with remaining 6 patties. Seal the patties together securly, taking care to keep the cheese completely encased in the meat. Wipe the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5-7 minutes per side for medium. Place rolls, cut sides down on outer edges of grill rack during last 3 minutes of grilling patties, to toast lightly. Place bacon on nonstick fireproof griddle pan during last minute of cooking patties to warm. To assemble burgers, divide the Honey Mustard Pepper Mayonnaise evenly among the cut sides of roll bottoms and tops. Top each bottom with a lettuce leaf, an equal portion of figs, a patty, 2 roasted red pepper slices, 2 slices bacon and roll top. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 burgers.