Roadtrip Roadside Burgers with Peach BBQ Glaze, Red-Eye Bacon Marmalade, Smoky White Cheddar Pimento Cheese, Basil Aioli and Crispy Collards

Pairs well with:

Gewurztraminer

Hard to pronounce yet easy to drink, this wine combines lychee fruit and white peach flavors with a hint of spice.

Ingredients

Basil Aioli
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
1 1/3 cup homemade or good-quality mayonnaise, divided

Smoky White Cheddar Pimento Cheese
1/2 cup drained and minced jarred roasted yellow peppers
1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
1 teaspoon pimento (smoked paprika)

Red-Eye Bacon Marmalade
1 tablespoon Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound thick-cut pepper-coated bacon, ground
1 large yellow onion, peeled, cored and minced
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup strong freshly-brewed coffee

Peach BBQ Glaze
5 ripe peaches, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 tablespoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Crispy Collards
3 1/4 cups Colavita All-Natural Canola Oil, divided
1 pound collard greens, washed, ribbed and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
2 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided

Burger Patties
2 pounds freshly ground chuck
2 teaspoons freshly-ground black pepper

6 round Semolina burger buns, split

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
To make the aioli, add the basil, garlic and 1 cup mayonnaise (reserving the remaining 1/3 cup for later use in the recipe) to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, cover and chill to let the flavors blend.
To make the smoky white cheddar pimento cheese, combine the reserved 1/3 cup mayonnaise, yellow peppers, cheddar and cream cheeses and smoked pimento in a small bowl and mash together with a fork until spreadable. Cover, chill and set aside.
When the grill has come to medium-high temperature, place both a large, deep, heavy-bottomed grill-proof skillet and a heavy-bottomed, grill-proof saucepan onto your grill rack. You will use these to make both your red-eye bacon marmalade and peach bbq glaze. To make the bacon marmalade, add the olive oil to the pre-heated skillet. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the ground bacon and minced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until both the bacon has crisped and the onions have caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the dark brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and strong coffee and cook until reduced and the texture of a marmalade, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the grill, cover and set aside until ready to assemble burgers.
To make the peach bbq glaze, add the chopped peaches, cloves, red chile flakes, Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, orange juice, ketchup and soy sauce to the preheated saucepan and bring to a simmer. When simmering, use a heat-proof flexible spatula to press down on the peaches to help them to fall apart and release their juices. Simmer the mixture for 10 to 12 minutes, or until thickened and the peaches loses their form. Carefully transfer the hot glaze to a blender and puree until smooth. Pass the glaze through a sieve and into a medium bowl. Cover the glaze and set aside.
Place a large, deep, heavy-bottomed grill-proof saucepan atop your grill and add 3 cups canola oil to the saucepan (reserving the remaining 1/3 for use later in the recipe). Heat the oil until it is shimmering, about 10 to 12 minutes. Working in small batches, fry the collard greens until crispy and the oil stops bubbling, about 15 to 20 seconds a batch. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the crispy collards to a paper towel-lined platter. When all collards have been fried, sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (reserving the remaining 2 teaspoons for later use) and set aside.
Gently form your ground chuck into 6 equally-sized patties and sprinkle both sides evenly with the reserved Kosher salt and the black pepper. Generously brush your grill rack with the reserved canola oil and place your patties upon the grill rack. Grill the patties until juices start to emerge from the top, about 4 to 4 1/2 minutes. Baste the burgers liberally with the peach bbq glaze, flip, and baste each patty evenly with the remaining glaze. Grill until your desired doneness, remove from the grill and set aside to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Place the buns split side-down onto the rack and grill until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Remove the buns from the grill and set them aside, grilled side up.
To assemble, spread the split sides of each bottom bun evenly with the smoky white cheddar pimento cheese. Top each bottom bun with a burger patty and top each burger patty with an even distribution of the bacon marmalade. Top the bacon marmalade layer with a generous handful of the crispy collards. Generously spread the split side of each top bun with the basil aioli, add the bun tops, cut each burger in half with a serrated knife, if desired, serve immediately and enjoy!
Makes 6 burgers.