Blue Cheese Sirloin Burgers with Red Wine-Onion Jam

Welcome to our Sunday gathering. The weather is perfect. The windows have been opened, the music is turned up, the table and chairs have been brought outside, and friends have arrived with ice coolers and wonderful side dishes to compliment the meal.

My husband has fired up the grill and we are going to enjoy some fabulous grilled hamburgers and bratwursts too, served up with blue cheese and a red wine onion jam, with all the traditional American side dishes, french fries, potato salad, cole slaw and baked beans.

 I am quite pleased with myself. For the first time, with inspiration from Cathy from Wives with Knives www.thewiveswithknives.blogspot.com I stepped out and baked my own hamburger buns-oh my!

It is Sunday, kick back and enjoy the day with us.

Blue Cheese Sirloin Burgers with Red Wine-Onion Jam

Serves 4

Recipe from Bobby Flay's Grill It!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds ground sirloin

2 tablespoons canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 ounces blue cheese, cut into 4 slices

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 hamburger buns or kaiser rolls, split

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup watercress leaves

Red Wine-Onion Jam (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.

2. Shape the meat into 4 burgers, each 1-inch thick.  Brush with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place the brugers on the grill and grill untl golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn the burgers over and continue grilling to medium, about 3 minutes longer.  During the last minute of cooking, place a slice of cheese on top of each burger, close the cover of the grill, and allow the cheese to melt.  Remove the burgers to a plate and let rest while you grill the buns.

3. Butter the cut sides of the buns and season with salt and pepper.  Place on the grill, butter side down, and grill until lightly golden brown, about 30 seconds.

4. Spread mustard (a strong flavored mustard) on the bottom and top half of each bun and top with some watercress.  Place the burgers on top of the watercress and spoon some of the onion jam on each burger. Top with the bun tops and serve immediately.

Red Wine-Onion Jam

Makes 3/4 cup

Recipe from Bobby Flay's Grill It!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan on the grates of the grill or on a stove top over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Add wine, vinegar, honey, and thyme and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and let cool to room tempertaure.  The jam can be made 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  bring to room tempertaure before serving.

Enjoy!