Red Wine and Basil BLT Burgers

We always loved grilling in your STL backyard….this recipe takes your basic burger up a notch!

For the Caramelized Chipotle Onions: 1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 Tbsp TABASCO Chipotle pepper sauce 1 Tbsp beef broth 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp oil 1 Tbsp minced garlic 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar For the Blue Cheese Spread: 6 1/2 ounces light garlic and herb spreadable 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled Beef Patties: 1 lb ground chuck 1lb ground sirloin 1/2
cup minced sweet onion 1/4 cup Zinfandel 3 Tbsp minced fresh herbs…I like basil, but fresh oregano and thyme can also be used 1 Tbsp hot sauce 1 1/2 tsp spicy seasoned salt 12 Fresh Avocado slices (can be grilled with balsamic vinegar and spicy seasoned salt) 12 slices bacon, cooked 6 soft Kaiser tolls 6 romaine lettuce leaves 6 large tomato slices

Make the caramelized onions: 1. Combine the onion, hot sauce, broth, vinegar, oil, garlic and brown sugar in a skillet and cook on stove or on grill for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are caramelized and most of the liquid is evaporated. Set aside. Make the spread: 1. Combine the cheeses and set aside. Make the patties: 1. Combine the meats, onion, wine, herbs, hot sauce and seasoned salt in a large bowl. 2. Handle the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, but mix well. 3. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties. 3. Cook the burgers on the grill until desired doneness. Turning once 4. Durning the final minute of cooking time, warm the cheese spread until soft and spreadable and grill the avocados, brushing with balsamic vinegar and seasoning salt if desired. 5. Lightly toast buns Assemble the burgers: 1. Spread a generous amount of the cheese spread over both cut sides of the rolls 2. On each roll bottom, place a lettuce leave, a tomato slice, a patty, a portion of caramelized onions, avocado slices and bacon slices. 3. Add the roll tops and serve!

Darla Weststeyn