Monticello Burger

Pairs well with:

Pinot Grigio

You won’t need a bouquet of flowers when you share our Pinot Grigio. This crisp wine with floral aromas is a wonderful way to make an entrance.

Ingredients:

Port Mayonnaise
1 cup mayonnaise
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 ¾ cup Tawny Port reduced
Pinch of salt

Peach Marinade & Glaze
1 stick salted butter
3/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of salt
2 gloves of garlic, crushed
3 large, ripe peaches
1/2 cup Worchester sauce (reserve for Glaze)

Patties:
1 ¾ pounds of ground chuck
½ cup finely ground oatmeal
1 ½ teaspoon of cumin
1 ½ teaspoon of coriander
½ tsp of cayenne
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon of marinated peaches
4 oz cured Virginia ham
6 ounces of French Raclette cheese (cut 12 slices)

Vegetable oil, for brushing grilling rack
6 bakery-quality, soft buns (slightly sweet) split
12 Red Leave Lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Directions
Pre-heat gas grill to medium-high heat
To prepare Port Mayonnaise, place 1 cup of mayonnaise in a medium glass mixing bowl. Crush 4 gloves of garlic and mix with mayonnaise. Set aside. In a shallow sauté pan, pour 1 ¾ of tawny port. On medium high, over the gas grill, bring port to a gentle boil and reduce until thick, stirring continually. Once port is reduced (semi-thick and ruby) quickly pour Port into the glass bowl with the mayonnaise. Fold mayonnaise, garlic, and reduced Port until mixed (do not beat). Cover and refrigerate.
To make the peach marinade sauce, melt one (1) stick of salted butter in a small pan over the gas grill and pour melted butter into a medium glass mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 cloves of garlic, crushed. Whisk well and transfer to a 9 X 9 shallow baking dish.
To prepare the peaches, split three (3) large, ripe peaches in half at the seam/ seed. Remove seeds. From the top of the peach and on both halves, cut two thick slices of peach so meat is exposed on both sides. (Be sure there is no hole in the peach slice) Repeat on remaining halves. Take the 6 large, thick slices with peach meat exposed on both sides AND all remaining peach pieces with skin and place in the shallow baking dish with marinade sauce. Be sure peaches are submerged. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside

Reduce gas grill to medium heat.
To make patties, place 1 ¾ pounds of ground chuck in a large glass mixing bowl. With the use of a food processor, grind ½ oatmeal to a semi-fine powder. Place grinded oatmeal on top of beef. Add 1 ½ teaspoon of cumin, 1 ½ teaspoon of coriander and ½ teaspoon of cayenne on top of beef. Remove the 6 peach slices from the marinade and set aside all 6 slices on a clean plate- reserve for glaze and grilling. Pluck remaining peach pieces from the shallow baking dish (with marinade dripping) and place in food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of marinade into food processor (set aside remaining marinade in shallow baking dish for glaze) and coarsely grind the peach remnants in food processor by pulsing 2-3 times (should be the consistency of a thick stew with pieces of peach smiling back). Pour 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of this chunky mixture over the beef. Discard remaining chunky peach mixture. Place 4 ounces of cured Virginia ham into food processor and chop. Place chopped ham on top of meat mixture. Combine meat, oatmeal, spices, chunky peach mixture, and ham in the glass mixing bowl, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting and mix well. Divide the mixture into six (6) equal portions and from these portions; form into patties to fit the rolls. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To make the glaze sauce for the peach slices, pour 1/2 cup of Worchester sauce into the remaining marinara sauce left in the shallow baking dish. Whisk well. Place the six (6) peach slices back into the shallow baking dish
When grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the outside edge of rack cover and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 6-7 minutes on each side for medium. Place 2 ample slices of the Raclette cheese (or substitute) on each patty immediately after the first flip of the patty. Close grill lid. After 3-4 minutes, open grill lid. Place the six (6) peach slices (dripping with glaze) mid center of the grill and cook, turning once or until nicely browned, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down on the outer edge of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble burgers, spread one (1) ample tablespoon of Port Mayonnaise on the bottom bun, followed by two pieces of Red Leaf Lettuce (trimmed) followed by the patty, followed by a grilled peach slice. Spread one (1) ample tablespoon of Port Mayonnaise on the inside of the bun top. Add the bun top and serve.

Makes 6 burgers
Comments: French Raclette is preferred but Swiss Raclette can also be used. Jarlsberg or Gruyere may be substituted for either Raclette. Raclette can be found in supermarkets that have robust cheese departments (Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca, etc) or can be ordered from cheese sites on-line. The quality of buns is more important than the type; they should be slightly sweet, if possible (i.e. Challa-like), with a nice softness.