Northwest Woodland Beef Burger

Ingredients

Mushroom pancetta ketchup:
2 tablespoons Colavita virgin olive oil
4 oz. diced pancetta
1 cup diced leek, white part only
8 oz.brown button mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms or 1oz. dried porcini (hydrated in water), sliced
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
1 cup Sutter Home Pinot Noir
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce

Sauce:
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

6 pancetta slices

Burger:
2 pounds ground beef (chuck)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins Traditional Steak Sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup Treasure Cave Feta cheese

6 split Kaiser rolls
3 tablespoons Colavita virgin olive oil

2 cups mixed salad greens
6 slices of heirloom tomatoes

Instructions

Preheat gas grill.

In a large fire proof skillet, heat olive oil on grill. Add pancetta and cook until crisp. Add leeks, mushrooms and thyme. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add wine, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and Chipotle sauce. Cook until mushrooms are done and liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

In a small bowl stir all the ingredients together for the sauce. Set aside.

In a fire proof skillet cook pancetta on grill until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Mix all burger ingredients together, except for the cheese, and form into 6 patties to fit the rolls. Grill burgers on medium heat until done, about 5 minutes per side. At the end of cooking time, sprinkle burgers with feta cheese. Brush rolls with olive oil and brown lightly on grill.

To assemble burger, spread crème fraiche sauce on split roll. Add some lettuce leaves, mushroom ketchup, beef patty, more mushroom ketchup, pancetta, tomato and bread top.

Serves 6