Molasses & Sweet Onion Glazed Burgers with Cornmeal Crusted Tomato & Corn Relish

by Cheryl Perry
(Hertford, NC)

1 medium sweet onion, peeled & roughly chopped
1 ½ cups water
¾ cup molasses
½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 ears fresh sweet yellow corn in the husk
1 medium sweet onion, peeled quartered
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon mustard seed

1 medium poblano chile, seeded & chopped
2 tablespoons fresh celery leaves, chopped
¼ cup kosher salt
8 -¼ pound burgers, 80%-20% ground chuck
2 cups canola oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large ripe tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
8 sandwich rolls, split & grilled


Make the glaze by adding the onion, water, molasses, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste and mustard to a food processor or blender. Puree mixture then pour into a medium saucepan. Whisk in the garlic powder, salt and pepper flakes and simmer over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove glaze from heat and keep warm until ready for use.

Preheat grill to medium temperature; spray with non stick cooking spray. Peel back the corn husks & remove silk. Pull the husks back up and place onto grill along with the quartered onions. Cook corn and onions for 15 minutes or until corn is cooked; remove from grill and set aside to cool. Cut corn from cob and chop grilled onion. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and mustard seed. Add the grilled vegetables along with the poblano chile, celery leaves and salt to the bowl and mix well; set aside.

Grill hamburgers to desired doneness; remove from grill, and cover until tomatoes are ready. Meanwhile, add the oil to a large heavy bottomed skillet; heat to medium temperature. Whisk together the eggs & water in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, mix together the cornmeal, salt and pepper. Add the flour to a third dish. Making an assembly line, dust the tomato slices first in the flour then coat in the egg mixture. Pat tomatoes into the cornmeal and carefully place slices in skillet. Cook the tomatoes for 2 minutes or until they are golden on both sides. Remove to drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt while hot. To assemble the burgers, place warm burgers on bottom half of rolls. Drizzle patties with molasses onion glaze; top with some corn relish and a fried tomato slice. Place grilled bun tops over all. Makes 8 burgers.