Spicy Szechuan Burgers

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

Spicy Szechuan Sauce:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3 green onions, chopped finely
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup mushroom soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grilled Onions:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise in rings
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Toasted Cashews:
3/4 cup cashews, chopped
Patties:
2 teaspoons black peppercorns (same ingredient as the pepper used for freshly ground black pepper)
2 pounds Kobe beef, ground
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 green onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon mushroom soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 sesame seed buns, sliced lengthwise
6 leaves Chinese cabbage, cut to bun size

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the spicy Szechuan sauce, add the oil to a small fireproof non-stick saucepan and heat on the grill until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, and green onions and saute over high heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and chili flakes and continue to cook for another minute. Add in the cilantro. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the grilled onions, add the oil to a large fireproof non-stick skillet and heat on the grill until hot. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the toasted cashews, add the cashews to a small fireproof non-stick skillet and heat on the grill until toasted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the patties, place the black peppercorns in a bag and set the bag on the prep counter. Using the back of a skillet, repeatedly hit the peppercorns until they have all cracked. Remove the cracked peppercorns from the bag and combine the peppercorns, Kobe beef, garlic, ginger, green onion, cilantro, soy sauce, chili flakes, and salt in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the sesame seed buns. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, just until done, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the sesame seed buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly. To assemble the burgers, place a generous amount of the Szechuan sauce over the cut sides of the buns. On each bun bottom, place a leaf of Chinese cabbage, a patty, an equal amount of grilled onions, and an equal amount of chopped cashews. Add the bun tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.