South of the Border Burgers with Grilled Pepperonata and Chipotle Ketchup

Pairs well with:

Pinot Noir

Every pour of our Pinot Noir brings you a delicious blend of berry flavors and the romantic aroma of violet.

These burgers are an all-American, especially here in the South where pork is king. By combining pork with beef, you have a succulent, juicy burger with big taste. The bacon adds just the right amount of smokiness. The chipotle ketchup adds just the right amount of heat.
Grilling the peppers and onion adds to the smoky flavor. Grilling is a way of life in the South. When those hurricanes hit and there is no electricity, the old grill gets fired up and all meats in the freezer are thrown on the grill. I have to admit, we do eat well during power outages. Block parties spring up and we eat well as we clean up the mess!

Ingredients:

Burgers:
1-3/4 pounds ground pork
1/4 pound ground beef chuck
1/4 cup picante sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese

Cooking spray

Pepperonata:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded, halved
1 green bell pepper, seeded, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, halved
2 jalapeño peppers
1 large onion (such as Vidalia) peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons purchased vinaigrette dressing
1 tablespoon basil pesto
2 teaspoon hot sauce

Chipotle Ketchup:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed, drained
1 teaspoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

6 Kaiser rolls, split, toasted
2 large tomatoes, cut into six 1/2 inch thick slices
6 slices crisp, cooked bacon, halved

Instructions:

For burgers: lightly blend all burger ingredients, except Monterey Jack cheese, in a large bowl. Form into six 3/4-inch patties. Spray grill with cooking spray. Place patties on grill and grill 5-6 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. During the last few minutes of cooking, top each burger with a slice of cheese.

For pepperonata: brush olive oil onto both sides of vegetables. Arrange vegetables on grill and grill until slightly charred (4-5 minutes). Remove vegetables to a plate. When vegetables are easy to handle, julienne the bell peppers and coarsely chop the onion and jalapeño peppers. Place mixture into a bowl. Stir in the dressing, pesto and hot sauce and toss lightly to blend evenly.

For Chipotle Ketchup: blend ingredients in a small bowl.

To serve: arrange one patty on bottom half of each roll. Top each with two bacon halves, a generous amount of Pepperonata, a slice of tomato and a large dollop of Chipotle Ketchup. Replace lids. Enjoy with a carafe of Sutter Home Pinot Noir. Serves 6.