Caesar-Bacon-Brie Burgers on Brioche

by Jamie Miller
(Napa, CA, USA)

This recipe calls for a few distinct and separate components, stacked together at the last minute.
You will make:
• Marinated Beef Patties
• Caesar Salad
• Bacon-Brie Patties
• Brioche Buns

Marinated Beef Patties:

- 2 lbs. 20% fat beef chuck
- 1 C. red wine
- 3 tsp. soy sauce
- 3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, de-stemmed and finely chopped

Caesar Salad:

- 2 C. chopped Romaine lettuce
- ½ C. chopped arugula
- 6 cloves fresh garlic
- 2 anchovy filets
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- ½ C. extra virgin olive oil

Bacon-Brie Patties

- 8 strips bacon
- 1 ½ lbs. St. Andre brie cheese (or any strong-flavored, semi-firm brie)

Brioche Buns

- 1 loaf Brioche
- 4 tsp. unsalted butter, softened
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼ C. Asiago cheese, grated

Marinated Beef Patties:

Lightly crumble the beef into a shallow glass dish. Combine the red wine, soy sauce, Worscestershire, crushed garlic and chopped rosemary and pour over the beef. Marinate for at least ½ hour. Form into loosely packed patties and refrigerate until ready to use.

Caesar Salad:

Place the Romaine and arugula in a bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use. In a Cuisinart or blender, chop the garlic. Add the anchovies and blend. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon and red wine vinegar, one at a time, blending each time. Add one teaspoon of the olive oil and blend well. Continue to add the olive oil, a few teaspoons at a time, until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Bacon-Brie Patties

Fry bacon and drain well, patting with paper towels. Chop finely and combine with the cheese, kneading thoroughly until evenly blended. Divide into four equal amounts and shape into patties. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Brioche Buns

Cut brioche into 3/4 –inch thick slices, ending up with 8 total slices. Using a large cookie cutter, or paring knife, cut the slices into rounds. Spread one side of each with ½ teaspoon butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Preheat your gas grill to medium-high, or lower the grate on your charcoal grill to about 3-4 inches above the coals. Buttered side down first, toast both sides of each slice until golden brown, about two minutes per side. Immediately after removing from heat, sprinkle four of the buns with the cheese. These will be the top buns.

Grill the Beef Patties:

Heat your grill to high. Be ready to assemble your burgers when the patties come off the grill and have each component ready - bottom bun, bacon-brie patties, Caesar dressing, lettuce, top bun.
Grill your burger for 2 ½ minutes on each side for medium rare (burgers will continue to cook while resting as you assemble).
While the burgers are grilling, toss lettuce with Caesar dressing, reserving a few teaspoons of the dressing.
When the burgers are almost done, top each with a bacon-brie patty and close the lid of the grill. After about 45 seconds, the cheese should be oozing slightly, but not completely melted. Remove the beef/bacon/brie patty and place it on the bottom bun. Loosely pack a handful of Caesar salad on top. Spread a teaspoon of Caesar dressing on the top bun, then place the bun on top of the salad. Serves 4.