Oregon Rogue Burger

This burger is made from ingredients produced in Oregon…. mostly right here in the Rogue Valley.We gather morels and other forest mushrooms annually. The pears grow in vast orchards all around our home. The blue cheese we use comes from our local Rogue Creamery. The hazel nuts are from orchards in the Willamette Valley and the cranberries from the Oregon coast. Nearly all of the ingredients in my test recipes come from less than 100 miles from my house! This is truly a local Oregon Burger! But all of the ingredients can easily be found at a well stocked supermarket.

Ingredients:

2C dried forest (woodland) mushrooms including morels
2C very hot water
3C (diced) fresh Crimini mushrooms
1C (diced) onion
1t salt
1t mild curry powder
6T vegetable oil
2T butter
2T flour
2C reserved mushroom stock
1/2 t salt
pepper
2T sour cream
2lb fresh ground chuck
6 slices Blue Cheese
2 Bartlett Pears (firm) , sliced 1/4″
1/2C cranberries roughly chopped
1/2C hazel nuts roughly chopped
1/2C seasoned rice vinegar
1/2C olive oil
2t Dejon mustard
4oz mesclun salad mix
6 Kaiser rolls
4oz fresh Enoki mushrooms

Instructions:

Soak all dried mushrooms in very hot water for 15 minutes, drain, RETAIN LIQUID.
While mushrooms are soaking dice and saute crimini mushrooms and onion in 4T vegetable oil with curry pwd and 1t salt in a pan on the grill (med heat) for 6-7 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool in a large bowl.
Dice rehydrated forest mushrooms finely and saute in same pan using extra 2T oil for 5 minutes.
Add cooked mushrooms to large bowl with crimini. Let cool.
Add meat to mushrooms and onions in bowl. Add 2t salt and freshly ground pepper. Gently mix ingredients and form six patties.

Using same saute pan (med heat) melt 2T butter and gradually add 2T flour. Cook while stirring gently for 5 minutes. Gradually add 2C reserved mushroom stock and 1/2t salt. Bring to boil, constantly stirring until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
Remove from grill. Stir in 2T sour cream. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.
Grill sliced pears (med heat) after first tossing in oil. Turn only once.
In separate bowl place nuts, cranberries, pears, greens and dressing made as follows.
Whisk mustard into vinegar and slowly drizzle in olive oil. S&P to taste.
Grill beef patties till done, about 3 – 3.5 minutes per side on med-high heat. Add cheese during last minute to melt on top.
Toast rolls on grill.
Assemble by placing mushroom sauce on each cut side of roll. Add meat then top with pear/nut/cranberry garnish and enoki mushroom. Add roll top and serve.