Winston Churchill Burger

Ingredients

1 oz packet of dried mushrooms
1 cup of red wine
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tsp salt
3 tsp pepper
2lb ground beef
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp English mustard
1 Vidalia onion
1 large tomato
1 English cucumber
8 oz Stilchester Cheese
½ cup melted butter
6 burger buns
6 rashers of apple wood smoked bacon

Instructions

Empty the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and cover with the red wine. Let soak for 30 minutes. In a small bowl add the horseradish, mayonnaise, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Mix well, cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.

In a large bowl add the beef, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp salt, pepper, thyme and English mustard. Mix together with a fork. Cover and refrigerate.

After 30 minutes, drain the mushrooms and gently squeeze any excess wine. Finely chop the mushrooms. Remove beef mixture from fridge and incorporate the mushrooms into the beef mixture.

Form six patties from the beef mixture and refrigerate.

Turn on the grill to 300 degrees.

While the grill heats up peel and slice the Vidalia onion. Slice the tomato. Peel and slice the cucumber. Put all to one side ready so that they are ready for dressing the burger. Slice the Stilchester cheese lengthwise. Cover and refrigerate.

Melt the butter and brush the butter onto each side of the burger buns.

Put the bacon on the grill and cook the bacon rashers until crispy. Drain the bacon rashers on paper towel blotting any excess fat. Cut rashers into two.

For medium burgers, cook for four minutes on each side.

At the last minute of cooking, place the burger buns on the grill to lightly toast taking care not to burn the buns.

To assemble:

Place the bottom half of the bun on the plate. Spoon 1.5 tablespoons of the horseradish mixture onto the bun. Then add one slice of tomato. Then place the burger on top of the tomato followed by a layer of cucumber slices. Then drape two slices of the Stilchester cheese. Place two rasher halves on top of the cheese. On the top half of the bun add another 1.5 tablespoons of the horseradish mixture and then place the top half of the bun on the burger. Secure in place with four toothpicks and slice in half.

Serve immediately.