Green Burgers with Creamy Cucumbers

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:
Wasabi Mayonnaise:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon wasabi powder

Cucumber Salad:
1 large seedless cucumber
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream

Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
1/4 cup fresh parsley; finely chopped
4 green onions (white and part of the tender green), minced
2 teaspoons salt

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 large seeded hamburger buns (not hard); split
6 slices Monterrey Jack cheese
2 cups Watercress
6 (1/4-inch thick) large tomato slices

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To make the mayonnaise, combine the mayonnaise and wasabi powder in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

To make the cucumber salad, cut the cucumbers in half length-wise; leaving the peel on. Using a sharp paring knife, slice the cucumbers crosswise as thin as possible, approximately 1/8 inch thick. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper and sugar together. Add the sour cream and mix well with the dry ingredients. Add the cucumbers and mix well with the sour cream mixture so that the cucumbers are completely covered. Set the bowl in the refrigerator while the burgers are being grilled.

To make the patties, combine the chuck, parsley, onions, and salt in a 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. Make a depression in the center with your thumb so the burger won’t bulge; the indent will rise as the patty cooks.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning once, until medium (with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. using an instant-read thermometer in the center of the patty); approximately 7 minutes on each side.

During the last few minutes of grilling, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a cheese slice. Remove the burger and buns from the grill for assembly. Remove the cucumber salad from the refrigerator.

To assemble the burgers, spread the mayonnaise over the cut sides of the rolls. On each roll bottom, place a patty, tomato slice, 2 heaping tablespoons of cucumber salad, and the watercress (approximately 1/4 cup). Add the roll tops and serve.

Makes 6 burgers.