SWEET BELLISSIMO BURGERS

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

Ingredients

SWEET BELLISSIMO BURGERS 
INGREDIENTS
A.SAUCE
1. 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2. 1 Medium White Onion (medium to fine chop)
3. 2 Whole Garlic Cloves
4. ¼ Ts Red Pepper Flakes
5. ½ Cup Red Wine
6. 1, 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
7. ½ Cup Water & Water as Needed
8. 1 Teaspoon Sugar
9. 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
10.½ Teaspoon Dry Basil
11.Fresh Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
12.Kosher Salt (to taste)
B. BURGER PATTIES
1. 1 ½ Cups Fresh Breadcrumbs
2. ½ Cup Finely Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
3. 1 Teaspoon Dry Italian Seasoning Mix
4. ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
5. ½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
6. ½ Cup Finely Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
7. 1 Pound Ground Chuck
8. 1 Pound Ground Sirloin
9. Ounces Finely Minced Imported Prosciutto Ham
10.1 Egg, Lightly Beaten
C. TOPPINGS
1. Sliced Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (One Slice Per Burger)
2. Thinly Sliced Imported Prosciutto Ham (One Slice Per Burger)
3. Sliced, grilled, Portobello Mushrooms (lightly brushed with olive oil & sprinkled with salt)
D. ROLL
1. Semolina Italian Roll topped with sesame seeds (brushed with olive oil and lightly toasted) or, if unavailable, substitute with a Kaiser Roll.

 

Instructions

II. COOKING DIRECTIONS A. GRILL PREPARATION 1. Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat (If using a charcoal grill, prepare three zones: hot, medium and warm). B. SAUCE 1. Place large saucepan on grill. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to pan. Add chopped onions and sauté for approximately 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn onions. Add water as necessary. Add whole garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. Add wine and lower heat. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until onions are tender. 2. Add crushed tomatoes to saucepan. Add 1-cup water. Add sugar. Add balsamic vinegar. Raise heat and bring sauce to a boil. Then, reduce to low heat. Simmer with lid slightly ajar for 40 minutes. Add water as necessary if sauce becomes too thick. 3. After 40 minutes, remove whole garlic cloves from sauce. 4. Add basil. 5. Add pepper to taste. 6. Add water if sauce appears too thick. 7. Remove saucepan from grill and set aside. C. BURGER PATTIES 1. While sauce is simmering, begin preparation of burger mixture. 2. To make breadcrumbs, lightly toast fresh white bread slices on grill for approximately ½ minute on each side. Remove from grill and set aside. When cool, trim edges and pulse in food processor until a mixture of coarse to fine crumbs is formed. Crumbs will be moist and fluffy. Repeat process until desired quantity is reached. 3. In a large bowl, mix breadcrumbs with grated Pecorino Romano cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and parsley. 4. Mince Prosciutto (6 Ounces) in food processor. 5. In a large bowl, gently blend ground beef and minced Prosciutto together. 6. Combine breadcrumb mixture and meat mixture together. 7. Blend in lightly beaten egg. 8. Divide mixture into 6 portions. Form 6 round patties. Set aside or place in refrigerator until the sauce is ready. 9. Place patties on grill set at medium-high heat, no flames. After 4 to 5 minutes depending on thickness of burgers, flip patties and repeat process. Total cooking time is 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over cook. Burgers should be brown on the outside and medium to medium rare on the inside. Burgers will continue to cook in sauce. Be careful of flames caused by rendered fat in the beef and Prosciutto. 10. Remove burgers from grill and set aside. Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature of burgers. Desired temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If desired temperature has not been reached, continue cooking burgers in sauce at high heat until reached as described in Step 11. 11. Place burger patties in saucepan with sauce. Place saucepan back on the grill. Place the lid on the pan, adjust heat to high, and bring sauce to a boil. Add water as necessary if sauce appears too thick. BURGER TEMPERATURE: IF DESIRED INTERNAL TEMPERATRURE WAS REACHED AFTER COOKING BURGERS ON GRILL, LOWER HEAT TO SIMMER WITH THE LID PLACED SLIGHTLY AJAR. IF DESIRED TEMPERATURE HAS NOT BEEN MET, COOK COVERED FOR 2 MINUTES AND THEN CHECK TEMPERATURE. IF TEMPERATURE IS STILL NOT MET, CONTINUE COOKING AT HIGH HEAT, CHECKING TEMPERATURE EVERY MINUTE OR SO, UNTIL REACHED. THEN, REDUCE HEAT TO A SIMMER WITH THE LID SLIGHTLY AJAR. 12. Simmer for 30 minutes. Every five minutes or so, flip burgers and cover with sauce. With a metal spoon, occasionally skim off excess fat rendered from ground beef and Prosciutto. Add water as necessary if sauce becomes too thick. 13. After 30 minutes of simmering, remove burgers from pan onto a clean plate. Remove saucepan from grill and set aside. Let sauce rest for 5 minutes, then, lightly place sheets of paper towels on top of sauce to absorb excess fat. Repeat this process as many times as necessary to remove fat. 14. Finally, add salt to sauce (to taste) if desired. Salt may not be needed. D. GRILLED MUSHROOMS 1. With dry towel, clean grit off of mushrooms. Cut off mushroom stems and slice mushroom caps into ¼ inch cross-sectional slices. Lightly brush mushroom slices with olive oil on each side and sprinkle with salt. Cook on grill at medium heat for approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until tender. Remove from grill. III. ASSEMBLING BURGERS 1. After the excess fat has been removed from the sauce, place the burgers back into the pan. Place a thin slice of Prosciutto, a slice of cheese and two or three grilled mushroom slices (in that order) on top of the burger. Place the saucepan back on the grill. Turn up the heat until the sauce warms and the cheese is melted. Place a lid on the pan to speed up the process. 2. While cheese is melting, slice rolls in half. Lightly brush with olive oil. Lightly toast on warm side of grill. 3. Remove burgers from saucepan and place on roll. Leave sauce on burger in tact. Top burger with additional sauce. Add roll tops and serve. END OF RECIPE