Wellington, Hamburg style

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs of mushrooms
1/4 small yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 T cognac
3 puff pastry sheets (from a 17 1/4 ounce package frozen puff pastry), thawed
1 large egg 2 lbs ground chuck (80% lean)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Oil for grill
1/4 lb gorgonzola cheese
Small red onion

 

Instructions

Preheat Gas Grill to 400 degrees In a medium bowl, combine mushrooms, onions, garlic, salt, pepper and cognac. Set aside. Unfold puff pastry sheets and cut 4 circles from each sheet. Each circle should be the size of hamburger buns. Place circles on an air cushioned cookie sheet. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg to make an egg wash. Brush puff pastry circles with egg wash. Place cookie sheet on grill over indirect heat. Make sure that grill temperature remains at approximately 400 degrees and that puff pastry is not over direct flame. Check regularly. Cook until pastry is golden. Depending on grill's ability to maintain even temperature, cook time may be from 10-20 minutes. Set aside. Place mushroom mixed in a grill basket and place on grill until mushrooms are browned. Set aside. While mushrooms are cooking, season the ground beef with salt and pepper and form into 6 equal patties. Once mushrooms are removed from the grill, oil the grill and place patties on grill and cook the first side for 3-4 minutes and the second side for 5 minutes for medium. As the hamburgers are cooking, place mushroom mixture into food processor and pulse for about 5 seconds. Mixture should be finely chopped, but not pasty. Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. To assemble the burgers, place pastry egg wash side down on a plate. Spread mushroom mixture on the twelve non-egg wash sides. Slice red onion thinly and divide among 6 of the puff pastry that will serve as the bottom buns. Place burgers on top of the "bottom" pastry and divide gorgonzola evenly among the six burgers. Top with "top" pastry and serve.