Yakima Valley Burgers

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

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

Who in Washington doesn’t look forward to peaches ripening in the Yakima Valley? And sweet onions from Walla Walla? Add a little Oregon cheese, and you’ve got a truly Northwest treat.

Ingredients:

Peach Ketchup

2 medium peaches

1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Patties

2 pounds lean (85%), organic ground beef such as Dakota brand

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Vegetable oil for brushing grill rack

6 slices Vintage White, extra sharp Tillamook cheese

6 organic, artisanal whole wheat hamburger buns

6 interior leaves butter lettuce

6 thin center slices, Walla Walla sweet onion

6 tablespoons soft butter

Instructions:

Directions

1. Pre-heat a gas grill to medium-high.

2. Peel and cut the peaches to 1/4″ dice. Place diced peaches, onion, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, salt, mustard, cinnamon and cloves in a 1-quart saucepan. Place on the grill; bring contents to a boil while stirring and cook for about 12 minutes or until peach appears translucent and juices have thickened. Puree with an immersion blender. Pour into small bowl; cover and refrigerate.

3. For patties, place ground beef, Worcestershire sauce and salt, in a medium bowl, and combine loosely with a fork. Form mixture into six patties the diameter of the rolls, making a slight depression in the middle of the patties to compensate for the tendency to bulge during cooking.

4. Brush vegetable oil over grill rack. Grill patties with top closed for 4 minutes; turn and grill 4 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160º.

5. During the last 2 minutes of grilling the patties, place rolls cut side down on the grill to toast.

6. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a cheese slice

7. To assemble burgers, spread bottoms of rolls with peach ketchup; add lettuce leaves. Add patties; top with onion slices. Spread the tops of the rolls with butter; close and serve.

Makes 6 burgers.