The Obama Burger

What would a burger contest in the year 2008 be without a tribute to the first African American who made U.S. history by being selected as the presumed Democratic nominee?Accordingly, this burger combines the rich, savory flavors of African culture with the tangy sweetness of Hawaiian fruit. This flavorful blend is everything you’d want in a burger and hopefully, worthy to represent this historically significant time.

Ingredients:

Pineapple Salsa:
1/2 purple onion
1 red bell pepper
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 leaves Thai basil, sliced in thin ribbons
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

Patties:
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, grated
1 sweet onion, grated
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/2 can chopped tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons fresh pineapple juice
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds ground beef

Mango Cream Cheese Spread:
3/4 carton mango yogurt
1 8 ounce container cream cheese

6 slices cheddar cheese
6 Kaiser rolls, sliced in half

Instructions:

To make pineapple salsa, combine onion, bell pepper, and ginger in a food processor and pulse gently. Put red pepper, black pepper, olive oil, and vinegar in a bowl and whisk ingredients. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, ginger, Thai basil, and pineapple to bowl and mix all ingredients together. Cover and chill.

To make patties, put red and black peppers, ginger, onion, peanut butter, tomatoes, garlic, pineapple juice, and salt. Mix ingredients until peanut butter is liquified. Add beef and mix gently. Shape into six patties that fit the bun size, cover, and set aside.

When the grill is ready, brush the rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, turning once until done to preference–5-7 minutes on each side for medium. Place one slice of cheddar cheese on each patty during last minute of grilling time.

While the patties are cooking, assemble the mango cream cheese. In a food processor, put both the yogurt and cream cheese. Pulse until creamy. Cover and set aside.

Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

To assemble the burger, spread a generous amount of the mango cream cheese spread to the top bun. Place a grilled patty on the bottom bun, followed by equal portions of the pineapple salsa. Add the top bun, and serve.