Wild Mushroom-Panzanella Burgers

Pairs well with:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This rich red easily complements your homemade chicken dishes, red meats, game, and mildly seasoned pastas.

Ingredients

2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and diced
2 tablespoons slivered basil leaves
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Colavita Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Colavita Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon French capers (tiny nonpareil), rinsed and chopped
1 cup Sutter Home Pinot Noir or Sutter Home Zinfandel
1 package (0.5 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms
2 pounds ground chuck
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing the grill rack and the rolls
6 slices fresh mozzarella
6 rustic Italian-style rolls, split
24 arugula leaves
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

 

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to medium-hot or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.

To make the Panzanella Relish, combine tomatoes, onion, cucumber, olives, and basil in a small bowl. Whisk together olive oil and vinegar; pour over tomato mixture. Season with salt; set aside.

To make the Caper Aioli, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, and capers in a small
bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.

For the patties, heat wine in a small, heavy fire-proof saucepan on the grill rack until it comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the dried mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the wine with a slotted spoon
and chop. Combine beef, mushrooms, rosemary, garlic salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Shape into 6 patties to fit the rolls.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack,
cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each
side for medium. Place the cheese slices on the patties during the last 3 minutes of grilling. Brush cut sides of rolls with oil and place, cut sides down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly during last 2 minutes of grilling.

To assemble the burgers, spread the aioli over the cut sides of the rolls. On
each roll bottom, place 4 arugula leaves, a cheese-topped patty, an equal portion of the panzanella and an equal sprinkle of feta. Add the roll tops and serve.

Makes 6 burgers