Pretiola Pub Burgers

Pairs well with:

Sauvignon Blanc

With hints of passion fruit, melon, and citrus, this wine beckons you to kick back and find a perfect porch swing.

Cool nights in the South can mean only one thing….it’s time for friends to gather, football to be watched, and good food to be eaten! After seeing pretzel buns in a local café, I was inspired to come up with a Pub Burger. Pretiola is a latin word used to describe what we now know as pretzels. It means “little reward”. The combination of flavors in this sweet, spicy, smoky, sharp, savory bundle of goodness is truly a reward! The pretzel buns are soft, yet able to stand up to this big burger without falling apart.

Ingredients:

Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Jam
1 ½ tablespoons Calovita extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup mini sweet peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 Heirloom Tomatoes (such as Brandywine or Purple Cherokee), peeled, seeded and
coarsely chopped (approx.3 cups)
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup malt vinegar

Carmalized Onions
1 ½ tablespoons Calovita extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Maui), thinly sliced
Pinch of course sea salt

12 slices applewood-smoked bacon

Pub Cheese
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup horseradish cheddar cheese, grated

Patties
2 pounds ground chuck
2 teaspoons shallots, finely chopped
2 teaspoons course sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 pretzel buns, split

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover or preheat a gas grill to medium high.

To prepare the Heirloom tomato pepper jam, in a heavy fireproof sauce pan, add olive oil and heat. Add garlic and peppers and sauté for 4 minutes. Add mustard seeds, cumin, and cayenne pepper and continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes until heat releases the spices wonderful flavors. Add tomatoes, brown sugar and malt vinegar, stirring occasionally, simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until thickened. Using a slotted spoon, transfer jam to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until assembling burgers.
To prepare caramelized onions, in a heavy fireproof skillet, place olive oil in pan and heat. Add onions and a pinch of course sea salt. Stirring often, cook for approximately 20-25 minutes until caramelized and golden brown. Transfer onions to a bowl, cover with foil and set a side.
Wipe out skillet and return to grill, place bacon in skillet and cook on the grill until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and then wrap in foil to keep warm.
To prepare pub cheese, combine cream cheese, wine, dry mustard and cayenne pepper in a food processor and pulse until well combined. With a rubber spatula, remove cream cheese mixture and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add shredded sharp cheddar and horseradish cheddar to the bowl and mix until well combined.
To prepare patties, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties to fit the buns.
Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 5 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes, place an equal amount of pub cheese on the patties to melt. Place the buns, cut side down, on the edges of the rack to toast lightly.
To assemble the burgers, on each bun bottom spread an equal amount of the tomato pepper jam, place 2 slices of bacon, a patty and top with the onions. Add the bun tops and serve.

Serves 6