Cabernet Burgers with Rosemary Foccacia

 

For most, grilling (BBQ) season is limited to summer. For us, in Arizona - it's not really limited at all. In actual fact, we probably cook outside more often in the three other seasons.

TheFoodCritic is not a keen indoor cook. He’d prefer to watch paint dry than actually swing around the kitchen cooking something up (and no, hotdogs and mac & cheese from a box do NOT count. Ever).

So, while I’d like to give him ALL the credit for this burger, here’s the thing. It was OBVIOUSLY a stroke of GENIUS on MY part that made this dinner happen.

I bought him a book. A grill book. Written by Weber. Yes. Oohhhh yes.  We’ve had complicated rubs on ribs, we’ve had steak marinades, we have had fantastic vegetables, and even the odd piece of chicken from him owning this book. I thank myself. Hahaha.

Lately, I’ve been getting a really great dinner that I didn’t cook about once a week. This is one that we particularly like (the flavours are really fabulous, plus, there’s the leftover wine… you can't really go wrong). 

We’ve had this twice now – the second time, he added finely diced and sautéed onions to the burger patty.

Fabulousness.  Make this immediately.

Source: Weber's Way to Grill

CABERNET BURGERS WITH ROSEMARY FOCCACIA

 

INGREDIENTS:

Glaze

• 2 cups cabernet sauvignon
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Butter

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Patties

• 1-1/2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
• 1/4 cup Cabernet glaze (above)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Other

• 4 slices white cheddar cheese
• 8 slices ripe tomato, each about 1/2 inch thick
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 4 focaccia squares, each about 4-1/2 inches, sliced in half horizontally, or 4 focaccia buns, split
• 2 cups baby arugula (rocket to the kiwis & aussies)

DIRECTIONS:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the wine and brown sugar. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl mix the butter and rosemary.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F). In a large bowl gently combine the patty ingredients and shape into four patties of equal size and thickness, each about 3/4 inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty.

Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the patties over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to medium, 8 to 10 minutes, brushing with the glaze every 2 minutes and turning them once when the patties release easily from the grate without sticking. During the last minute of cooking, place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt.

Lower the temperature of the grill to medium heat (350° to 450°F). Brush the tomato slices with oil, season with salt, and grill over direct medium heat until soft, 2 to 4 minutes, turning once. Spread the cut sides of the focaccia with the rosemary butter and grill over direct medium heat, cut sides down, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Build each burger with arugula, a patty, a slice of bacon, and 2 slices of tomato. Serve warm.