RATATOUILLE BURGER WITH PEPPER JACK CHEESE

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

Zucchinis! Yup, it’s that time of year again when no one know what to do with their bounty of fresh, ripe zucchinis. But zucchinis like to keep good company, just like the rest of us. So I surrounded them with the most delicious summer veggies and herbs, and then anchored them, of course, with a juicy pepper jack cheeseburger

Ingredients:

Patties

2 pounds freshly ground chuck (80/20)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ratatouille

½ cup zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
½ cup yellow squash, cut into ½-inch slices
½ cup orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces
½ cup white button mushrooms, thickly sliced
½ cup sweet red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup flat-leaf Italian parlsey, finely chopped

½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing on grill rack

6 slices Monterrey Jack Pepper Cheese

3 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 high-quality potato hamburger buns, split

Instructions:

1. Preheat gas grill to medium-high.

2. To make patties, combine chuck, fresh basil, fresh oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl, handling as little as possible. Shape into 6 patties to fit the buns. Cover and refrigerate.

3. To make the ratatouille, heat a grill wok over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, yellow squash, orange bell pepper, mushrooms, and red onion to wok and coat well with 1/3 cup olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, fresh oregano and flat leaf parsley. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring several times. Add cherry tomatoes and cook 2-3 more minutes or until almost cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover with foil, and set aside

4. While ratatouille is cooking, brush other side of grill rack with vegetable oil. Place patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once until done to preference, 4-5 minutes on each side for medium. Place cheese slices on patties during the last 3 minutes of grilling, making sure to completely melt cheese.

5. Brush olive oil on the cut sides of buns. Place cut-side down on the outer edge of grill rack to toast lightly during the last minutes of grilling.

6. To assemble burgers, place patty on the toasted side of bun bottom, spread equal amounts of ratatouille on top and cap with toasted bun top. Serve immediately.

MAKES SIX SERVINGS