SWEET CAROLINA ON MY MIND BURGERS WITH SPICY GRILLED PEACHES AND VIDALIA ONIONS

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.

My interest in cooking began when I lived and worked in South Carolina. In Carolina, they don’t debate politics, they debate BBQ!

The opinions are endless: pork or beef? molasses or brown sugar? hickory or mesquite? The battle lines are drawn. However, I was drawn to the Carolina low-country mustard-based sauces influenced by the Germans. Pulling from my German heritage, I added a bit of horseradish to the BBQ glaze and burger. Hopefully you’ll agree, the burger I created is the best of both worlds. A little pork and a hint of red sauce are added to the beef for a moist and juicy burger. Peaches and Vidalia onions – what more to say than simply the best and classic flavors of the south. I just had to add a little blue cheese butter as a personal prefernece. Whatever your preference, I hope you are converted on the first bite.

Ingredients:

Patties:
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb. Johnsonville all natural ground sweet Italian sausage
1/4 cup premium cocktail sauce with fresh horseradish
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Sweet and Spicy Tabasco Sauce

Mustard glaze:
4 Tablespoons soft butter
4 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons horseradish

2 large ripe freestone peaches
1 lemon
6 (1/3″-1/2″ thick) slices Vidalia onion

1/3 cup soft butter
2/3 cup Treasure Cave Blue Cheese, at room temp.
Vegetable oil for brushing the grill
6 good quality sesame seeded hamburger rolls, split
1 bunch (30 sprigs) organic watercress

Instructions:

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

To make the patties, combine the beef, ground sausage, cocktail sauce, salt and Tabasco in a large bowl. Handling as little as possible, shape into 6 patties. Set aside.
To make the mustard glaze which will be used for both the burgers as well as the peach and onion slices: in a small glass mixing bowl, combine butter, mustard, brown sugar, and horseradish; stir to combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Cut peaches in half and remove pit; squeeze lemon juice over peaches. For easier handling, one may place peach and onion slices in a grilling basket or on a grilling grid. Baste peaches and onion lightly with prepared glaze. Grill 3 minutes; turn and brush with glaze. Grill 3 more minutes. Remove from grill. Cut each peach half into 3 wedges. Keep peach and onion slices warm. While the peaches and onions are grilling, place the butter and Blue cheese in a small saucepan on the grill to slightly melt the butter and cheese. Remove from grill. Stir to blend; set aside.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, basting with mustard glaze. Cover; cook, turning once and basting again. About 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium, or longer if one desires well done. During the last minute of grilling, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast to a light golden brown. Brush both halves of toasted rolls with blue cheese butter.

To assemble the burgers, layer bottom half of the bun with watercress, top with grilled Vidalia onion, the burger, grilled peach slices and cover with the bun tops.
Makes 6 burgers