Mushrooms Two-Ways Burger with a Blue Cheese Compound Butter and Zinfandel Reduction

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients

Blue Cheese Compound Butter:
6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
5 oz. blue cheese, softened
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Sauteed Mushrooms:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thinly Zinfandel Reduction:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup Zinfandel
1 cup low sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Patties:
2 1-oz. packages dry porcini or shiitake mushrooms
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sirloin
1/4 cup Zinfandel
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper
Vegetable oil for coating grill
French Roll Hamburger Buns

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the compound butter, mix butter and blue cheese until well mixed, using a rubber scraper. Add shallots, garlic, salt and pepper until evenly distributed. Store in a cool place. To make the sauteed mushrooms, place a 12 inch fire-proof skillet over the grill and heat to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and melt. Add mushrooms and cook until lightlty browned, but still firm. Set aside. To make the Zinfandel Reduction, set a fire-proof saucepan or skillet over the grill. When hot, add the olive oil, then the onion, carrot and celery and cook while stirring until the vegetables turn a golden brown. Remove the pan from the grill and add the Zinfandel. Return the pan to the grill and deglaze, scraping up bits of vegetables with a wooden spatula. Add the beef broth and bring to simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Strain the sauce to remove the vegetables and return the reduction to the pan. Discard the vegetables. Whisk into the sauce the butter, and add the salt and pepper. Set aside. To make the burgers, soak the dried mushrooms in 1/2 cup warm water for about 2 minutes. Gently squeeze to remove excess moisture. Roughly chop mushrooms. Gently mix the chuck and sirloin, adding the mushrooms and the Zinfandel. Using minimal handling, mix until the mushrooms are evely distributed. Shape six equal patties. Sprinkle both sides of each patty with salt and pepper. Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Cook the burgers over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 4 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, grill the buns, cut side down. To assemble burgers, spread 1 tablespoon of compound butter to both the top and bottom of each bun. Put the burger on the bottom bun, add the sauteed mushrooms, and spoon the wine reduction over the mushrooms and burger. Add the bun tops and serve.