Texas Tuscan Burger

My wife and I dream of one day traveling to Tuscany.The rich, old-world country calls our name. We can only dream for now. But with the help of our local winery our dream can come alive on the weekends. With this burger we combine Big Texas heat and Tuscan sweetness. The heat of the Fried Jalapenos and the sweetness of the parmesan cheese are complimented by the Caeser mayo.

Ingredients:

Patties
1 1/2 pounds Fresh Ground Chuck
1/2 pound Fresh Ground Veal
1/2 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 roasted garlic cloves
4 sun-dried tomatoes minced and mashed with garlic
1 Tsp fresh ground pepper
2 Tsp fresh rosemary minced
2 tsp Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon wine
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
6 ounces of prosciutto chopped finely
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil.

Caesar Mayo
1 cup prepared Mayonnaise
2 garlic gloves minced
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp anchovy paste
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Fried Jalapenos
2 cups sliced pickeled jalapenos
3 cups buttermilk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups vegetable oil

Parmesan Crisp
2 cups fresh ground parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp all purpose flour
Non stick cooking spray

6 country style sourdough buns
1 Romaine lettuce head
4 Roma tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

preheat gas grill to medium heat

To prepare patties,place 4 cloves tossed in 1 tsp olive oil into foil pouch. Place in corner of medium high heat grill. Roast and remove when golden brown, about 25-30 mins. Let cool. Place cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add oil. When oil is hot add prosciutto and cook unitil golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Smash roasted garlic together with sun-dried tomatoes. Combine ground chuck, veal, cheese, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, lemon zest, prosciutto, wine and pepper. Mix lightly until just combined. Cover and set aside for 30 mins. Shape into 6 patties to fit the buns.

To prepare mayo, mince garlic gloves and then smash into paste with salt using back of knife. Combine mayo, garlic, anchovy paste, Worcestershire, mustard, pepper and lemon juice into bowl. Mix together to combine. Cover and set aside.

To prepare fried jalapenos, soak jalapeno peppers in buttermilk for 15 mins. In a deep pot add vegetable oil and heat to 325 degrees. Combine cornmeal, flour and cayenne pepper in bowl. Drain jalapenos. Coat jalapenos in dry mixture, dust off excess. Cook until golden brown and drain.

To make parmesan crisp, combine cheese, black pepper, red pepper and flour. Spray flat Cast Iron griddle pan with non stick cooking spray. Pile 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture onto griddle pan. Use back of serving size spoon to flatten into bun size rounds. Make sure to space the 2-4 inches apart. Over medium high heat, place griddle pan on top rack of grill. Close lid and cook for 5-7 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from grill and let cool.

Place patties on grill and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or unitl medium well.

Brush cut side of buns with olive oil, place on grill and lightly brown for 1-2 minutes.

Spread 1 tbsp caesar mayo on bun top. Place patty on bun bottom, top with romaine lettuce leaves, 3 slices of roma tomatoes, fried jalapenos and then parmensan crisp. Enjoy and dream away.