The fabulous flavors of a bloody mary were my inspiration for this delicious burger.

Ingredients:

2 Medium tomatoes – chopped
1 Celery stalk – chopped
½ teaspoon garlic salt
2 Tablespoons creamed horseradish
1 Tablespoon Sutter Home Chardonnay
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon red pepper sauce, preferably Cholula
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup finely chopped red onion
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large eggs – beaten
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon celery salt
6 Ciabatta rolls
1 1/8 cup feta cheese crumbles

Instructions:

For Bloody Mary Relish: In a medium mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, celery, garlic salt, horseradish, chardonnay, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, lime juice, pepper and onion. Stir until well blended. Set aside.
For Burger: In medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, garlic powder and celery salt. Roll into 12 equal balls. Mash the balls into patties. Spread 3 Tablespoons feta cheese onto six of the patty centers. Place a plain patty on top of each, pressing edges of to seal in feta cheese.
Set grill to high heat, seer burgers on high for 1 ½ minutes each side, reduce heat to low. Grill on low 4 1/2 minutes each side. In the final 2 minutes of grilling, place sliced ciabatta rolls on grill to toast.
Place one patty on each bottom half of toasted ciabatta roll. Scoop 1/3 cup bloody mary relish on top of each patty, place top bun on each. Serve hot. Enjoy.

Ingredients

BASTING SAUCE:
3/4 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup quality Vodka of your choice
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
PATTIES: 2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon celery salt
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
1/4 cup quality Vodka of your choice
Vegetable oil, to brush the grill rack
6 country potato hamburger buns
1/4 cup light olive oil, for brushing the buns
1 medium sweet yellow onion cut into 6 slices
1 large, ripe, tomato cut into 6 slices.

Instructions

DIRECTIONS: To make the basting sauce, combine the tomato juice, vodka, and beef bouillon granules in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. To make the patties, combine the ground chuck, salt, pepper, celery salt, tabasco, worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and vodka. By making finger holes in the ground chuck, adding these ingredients, and then gently working them together, a good blend will be developed. Too much handling will tend to compact the meat, so blend just until mixed. Separate the mix into 6 equal portions, and then create a patty that will fit the buns, leaving a slight overhang to allow for shrinkage. Place the patties on a plate, cover with cellophane, and set aside. Cut 1 large, ripe tomato into 6 equal slices. Cut 1 medium, sweet yellow onion into 6 equal slices, set both on a plate, cover with cellophane and set aside. Fire up the gas grill, on high setting, for approximately 2 minutes. Lower the temperature to medium high, and brush the grill with the vegetable oil. Baste the top side of the 6 patties liberally, and place on the rack. Cover, and grill until browned on the bottoms, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. While cooking the patties, prepare the potato buns by lightly brushing the open, or cut side with the olive oil. Gently turn the patties, liberally baste the new top side, and continue grilling covered, until done to your desire, about 5 minutes for a medium done burger. During the final 2 1/2 to 3 minutes of cooking the patties, place the buns, oil side down, on the outer edges of the grill, to avoid charring. We're almost there! Now remove the patties from the grill, and set aside. Check that the buns are lightly toasted, then remove from the grill. Add the pattie to the bun bottom, then a slice of onion, followed by a slice of tomato, top of bun, and PRESTO!!