TURKISH SPICED BEEF BURGER WITH SPIKED CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND CREAMY APRICOT MUSTARD

Pairs well with:

Chenin Blanc

This wine is bursting with crisp, refreshing fruit flavors like apple, pear, and melon, making you want to swing your legs off a dock at sunset.

Ingredients

Rub Mixture:
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper-from peppercorns
2-pounds boneless chuck steak-well marbled
Creamy Apricot Mustard:
3/4 cup Mild & Creamy Grey Poupon Mustard
3 tablespoons apricot fruit spread
Sautéed Onion & Garlic:
1/2 tablespoon Colavita Extra Virgin Olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 medium cloves garlic-finely chopped
Spiked Caramelized Fennel:
1-1/2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved, core removed and sliced very thin (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup Sutter Home Chenin Blanc
1/4 teaspoon salt Vegetable oil to brush grill rack
2 teapoons salt-for patties
6 thin slices goat milk mild cheddar cheese
6 cracked whole wheat buns-split
12 thin wedges of California avocado-peeled

 

Instructions

To prepare rub, combine coriander, cumin, pumpkin pie spice and black pepper in a saucer; stir together. Place steak on a plate and sprinkle both sides of steak with rub mixture. Using your fingers, rub mixture into steak. Cover steaks and refrigerate until needed. To make Creamy Apricot Mustard, combine mustard and fruit spread together in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Preheat a charcoal fire for grilling at medium-hot heat or a gas grill for grilling at medium-high. When grill heat is medium-hot, prepare Sautéed onion and Garlic by heating oil in a small fireproof skillet on grill rack. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender-about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside until needed for patties. To make Spiked Caramelized Fennel, toss olive oil and fennel in a large nonstick fireproof skillet. Place skillet on grill over medium-hot heat. Cook, stirring frequently for about 15 to 20 minutes or until fennel is golden and tender. Add wine; stir until most liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; salt fennel. Cover skillet and set aside until needed. To form patties, retrieve steak and cut steak into 1-1/2 inch thick cubes. Using a food processor fitted with a blade (or meat grinder), process meat in four batches, until coarsely chopped. Transfer steak to a bowl. Add sautéed onion/garlic mixture to steak; mix together handling steak as little as possible. Form 6 patties about 1/2-inch thick. Brush oil over grill rack. Salt both sides of patties then place patties over medium-hot heat and grill until brown on bottom-about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn patties; grill until cooked to desired doneness or about 3 to 4 minutes for medium, topping with a slice of cheese the final few minutes of cooking. Transfer burgers to a plate. Place rolls cut side down on grill and lightly toast. To assemble burgers, spoon fennel over each roll bottom, top with a patty and then with some more fennel-dividing fennel equally among burgers. Add 2 wedges of avocado. Spread creamy apricot mustard over cut side of each roll top and cover burger. Pass remaining creamy apricot mustard when serving. 6 burgers