Andouille Burgers with Grilled Sweet Onions and Creole Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large Kaiser onion rolls or 4 (6-inch) lengths French bread, split in 1/2 crosswise
• 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices sweet onion, such as Vidalia, Maui or Walla Walla
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
• Creole Remoulade Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Finely chop the andouille sausage in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the beef, garlic, Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon of the Essence, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Blend together being careful not to overwork the mixture. Form mixture into 4 (1-inch-thick) patties.

Grill the Kaiser rolls just until golden, turning, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates. Brush the onion slices on both sides with the oil and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon Essence, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill until golden, turning, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill.

Place the hamburgers on the grill and cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the cheese over the tops of the burgers and cook until melted.

Spread the insides of the buns with the Creole Remoulade Sauce. Place the hamburgers on the bottoms and top with the sliced onions. Serve immediately.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Creole Remoulade Sauce:

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped yellow onions

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons Creole or other whole-grain mustard

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until fairly smooth, about 30 seconds.

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. (The sauce will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.)