GREEK BURGER

By TPMay

Ingredients

• ROASTED GARLIC OIL
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup garlic cloves
• ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS
• 1 red pepper
• 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed, 15 ounces)
• 3 cloves roasted garlic (reserved from garlic oil)
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce
• 2-3 tablespoons roasted garlic oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• PICKLED CUCUMBERS AND RED ONIONS
• 1 cup red onions (thinly sliced)
• 1 cucumber (sliced into strips)
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• OLIVE TAPENADE
• 1 cup Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 1/2 cup capers (reserve juice)
• 3 cloves roasted garlic
• 1/2 lemon (juiced)
• 1 tablespoon roasted garlic oil
• BURGER
• 4 ground chuck patties (8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 whole wheat buns
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1 cup spinach

Preparation

Step 1

For the Roasted Garlic OIi: in a small saucepan, add oil and garlic and heat over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer until the garlic begins to float. Remove from heat, strain the garlic and reserve cloves. Allow the oil to cool to room temperature.
For the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: preheat oven to broil. Place red pepper on baking sheet and place under the broiler. Allow to char on all sides by turning every 30 seconds. Once charred, removed to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to touch, remove the skin and seeds of the pepper.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the roasted red pepper, chickpeas, garlic cloves, lemon juice, chipotle in adobo sauce, and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and puree until smooth. While the machine is running, slowly add the garlic oil and blend until combined.
For the Pickled Cucumbers and Red Onions: in two bowls or mason jars place red onions in one and cucumbers in the other. In a small saucepan, add the water and sugar and heat over medium heat. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the vinegar, and season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour half of the liquid over the onions and the remaining half over the cucumbers. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature.
For the Olive Tapenade: in the bowl of a food processor, add the Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, capers and garlic and pulse until finely chopped. Remove to a boil and drizzle with reserved caper juice, lemon juice and garlic oil. Set aside.
To Assemble the Burger: preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Season burger patties with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on the grill and cook 4-6 minutes per side. Brush buns with olive oil and place on the grill pan, allow to toast, about 3-5 minutes.
On the top bun spread olive tapenade. On the bottom bun spread hummus and top with feta cheese and spinach. Place a burger patty on top of the spinach, top with pickled onions and cucumbers and place the top bun.