Recipes : Born in Berkeley Burgers (winning Beef Burger) : Food Network

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Born in Berkeley Burgers (winning Beef Burger)
Recipe courtesy Camilla Saulsbury, Nacogdoches, Texas

Ingredients
For the patties:
2 pounds ground chuck
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
3/4 cup drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1/2 cup grated onion
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Lemon-Grilled Fennel:
3 medium-sized lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
4 medium-sized fennel bulbs, tops removed, sliced into rings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (recommended: Colavita)
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 slices thick-cut black pepper bacon or regular thick-cut bacon

For the Arugula-Fig Topping:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (recommended: Colavita)
Salt
6 fresh figs, stemmed and sliced lengthwise
3 cups pre-washed bagged baby arugula, roughly torn
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
3/4 pound aged Teleme cheese (semi-soft cheese made in northern California),
sliced thinly (Camembert or Brie may be substituted)

6 good-quality hamburger buns, split

Directions
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a
cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Ingredients
For the patties:

Directions
Combine the chuck, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, onion,
garlic, and salt in a large bowl, handling as little as possible. Shape into 6
patties to fit the bun size. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set
aside.

Ingredients
For the fennel:

Directions
Grate 2 teaspoons zest from the lemons. Juice the
lemons to yield 2 tablespoons juice. Put the fennel rings in a medium-sized bowl
and toss with the lemon juice, oil, and salt. Put the fennel in a grill basket and
grill, shaking the basket occasionally, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the
fennel to a sheet of foil, sprinkle with the lemon zest, and wrap to keep warm.

Heat a large, heavy nonstick fire-proof skillet on the grill. Add the bacon and
cook until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Wrap in foil to keep
warm.

Ingredients
For the topping:

Directions
Drain off the bacon fat from the skillet, wipe out the
skillet with paper towels, and set the skillet back on the grill. Add the walnuts
to the skillet and toast until golden and fragrant; set aside.

Whisk the vinegar with the oil in a small bowl and season with salt, to taste.
Combine the figs, arugula, and toasted walnuts in a medium bowl. Toss with just
enough dressing to coat.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the

patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to
7 minutes on each side for medium. Place the cheese slices on the patties during
the last 3 minutes of grilling. Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges
of the rack to toast lightly during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

To assemble the burgers, place equal portions of the warm grilled fennel on each
bun bottom, followed by a cheese-topped patty, 2 bacon slices, and an equal
portion of the fig-arugula topping. Add the bun tops and serve.