Summer Burgers with Pistou

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Ingredients

Pistou:
1 c. fresh basil leaves, coarsley chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/8 t. salt
2 TB. tomato paste
4 TB. Colavita olive oil
Patties:
2 1/2 lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1 TB. Colavita olive oil
2 TB. Sutter Home Zinfandel
1 tsp. creole seasoning
1 TB. worcestershire sauce
Vegetable oil for greasing grill rack.
6 Kaiser rolls, split
6 TB. mayonnaise
9 TB. sun dried tomato & basil spreadable cheese
3 c. chopped romaine lettuce
12 rings of red onion, approximately the same size as the patties
6 slices of tomato

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover or preheat a gas grill to medium high. To make the pistou, place the basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add tomato paste and olive oil into bowl and process just until smooth. Empty pistou into a small bowl and set aside. To make the patties combine ground chuck, salt, olive oil, zinfandel, creole seasoning and worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Handle the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide into 6 equal portions and form the the portions to fit the kaiser rolls. Brush grill rack with oil. Place patties on rack, cover and grill until brown on bottoms-3 to 4 minutes. Turn patties and continue grilling until done to preference about 5 minutes longer for medium. During the last few minutes of grilling, place rolls cut side down on outer edges of grill rack so they may toast. To assemble the burgers spread a generous amount of mayonnaise on the cut part of the bottom of each roll. Spread equal portions of the pistou on the top of the mayonnaise. Then spread a generous amount of spreadable cheese on the cut side of the top part of the roll. Then place a 1/4 cup of chopped romaine lettuce on top of pistou. Add pattie, then 2 red onion rings on top of pattie and 1 tomato slice on top of onion and then place the top of roll on tomato and serve. Makes 6 burgers.