Savory Burgers with Glazed Sweet Roasted Peppers and Avocado-Anchovie Spread

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients:

Glazed Sweet Roasted Peppers:
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel Wine
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 – 12 ounce jar sweet roasted peppers, drained and patted dry with paper towels

Avocado-Anchovie Spread:
2 ripe Haas avocados, peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 – 2 ounce can flat anchovies, drained and cut into 1/4″ pieces
1 teaspoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup capers
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck
8 ounces liver cheese
1/3 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel Wine
2 teaspoons Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1/2 large red onion, minced finely
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Vegetable oil to brush on grill rack
8 ounces aged Asiago cheese, yielding 18 slices (cut from a wedge)
6 corn dusted Kaiser rolls, split
6 romaine lettuce leaves, torn horizontally

Instructions:

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

To prepare the glazed peppers: place olive oil, wine, marmalade, suger and salt in a medium fire-proof skillet. Simmer for 20 minutes, reducing mixture to a syrup and approximately 2/3 the original amount. Add the peppers, stirring gently, and remove from heat. Set aside, covered with foil.

To prepare the spread: in a medium bowl combine the avocados, lime juice, anchovies, pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Mix vigorously with a fork until smooth. Stir in capers and cashews. Cover with foil and set aside.

To make the patties: crumble the chuck into a large bowl. Break up the liver cheese slices over the chuck. Add the wine, pepper sauce, onion, salt and pepper. Combine well, handling the mixture as little as possible. Form into 6 patties. Cover with foil and set aside if not grilling immediately.

Brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Gently flip the patties and cook for 3 minutes, covered. Place 3 slices of cheese on each patty (distributing the uneven sizes evenly) and cook, covered, another 2-3 minutes until cheese has melted. At this time, place the rolls, cut sides down, on the outer edges of the rack to lightly toast.

To assemble the burgers, smooth 1/3 of the avocado – anchovie spread on the cut sides of the roll bottoms. Spread the remaining 2/3’s on the cut sides of the roll tops. Place 1 lettuce leaf (torn in half) on each roll bottom. Spoon the glazed peppers (with syrup and orange peel) on the lettuce. Layer patties on top of the peppers and cover with the roll tops. You’ve just built yourself a better burger(s)! Skewer burgers to present.