Powerhouse Burgers with Roasted Garlic Paprika Schmeer

Ingredients

Paprika Schmeer:
2 bulbs garlic
3 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 tablespoons for paprika schmeer, 1 tablespoon for cooking shrimp)
1 tablespoon small capers
8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
4 ounces softened cream cheese
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
4 tablespoons Knorr Tomato with Basil soup recipe mix or other tomato soup mix (1 tablespoon for paprika schmeer, 3 tablespoons for patties)
4 tablespoons fresh minced chives (2 tablespoons for paprika schmeer, 2 tablespoons for patties)
3 teaspoons coarse kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon for paprika schmeer, 2 teaspoons for patties, 1/2 teaspoon for shrimp)

Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck
1 small yellow onion

Extras:
1 pound medium shelled and deveined shrimp
12 slices Canadian bacon
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
12 slices deli style Muenster cheese
Soft French bread loaf/loaves (3” to 4” wide) cut into (6) 4” long sections, sliced horizontally to make top and bottom

 

Instructions

Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat, or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.

To make the paprika schmeer, cut the tops off the garlic bulbs and place on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to wrap both bulbs. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Wrap completely in the foil and place on the grill. Roast for about 40 minutes, remove from grill and let cool. Squeeze the cooled roasted garlic into a mixing bowl, add in capers and smash with the back of a spoon until a paste forms. Add in butter, cream cheese, paprika, 1 tablespoon soup mix, 2 tablespoons chives and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, mix until schmeer is red and well combined. Set aside.

To make the patties, add ground chuck to a large mixing bowl. Finely grate the onion into the meat being sure to add in all the onion juice, add in remaining 3 tablespoons soup mix, remaining 2 tablespoons fresh minced chives and 2 teaspoons kosher salt; mix gently until combined. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and then form into 6 patties (about 4 1/2 inches in diameter). Keep patties covered and cool until ready to grill.

Place a fireproof skillet on the grill, when hot; add in remaining tablespoon olive oil. Add shrimp and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to pan and heat until shrimp are pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp from pan and cover to keep warm. Add Canadian bacon to hot skillet and cook until lightly brown. Remove bacon and skillet from grill and cover to keep bacon warm.

Now cook your burgers. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to your preference, 4 to 6 minutes on each side for medium. When burgers are almost done add 1 cheese slice to each patty, top each cheese slice with about 8 cooked shrimp (amount depends on total number of shrimp you have) and then top shrimp with an additional cheese slice. Place the bread, cut side down on the edge of the grill or top rack. Cover grill until cheese is melted and bread is toasted and light brown.

To assemble the burgers, slather a generous amount of the paprika schmeer on the cut sides of both the top and bottom of the bread. Layer a burger on bread bottom, layer on 2 slices of Canadian bacon, add the bread top and serve.

Makes 6 burgers