Saturday Down South: In 'n Out Animal Style Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip with Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles, Pan Fried Caramelized Onions, Cubed Dill Pickles, Diced Tomatoes, Crispy Bacon Lardons, + Secret Sauce Drizzle

It's officially the most wonderful time of the year... football season!! I swear my Mountain Man has been counting down the days since we won the national championship last season. Now comes the time of friends, tailgating, fatty food, bonfires, and plenty of booze. 

One of the mainstays of our menu is hearty dip, and this recipe that I am featuring today is just that! The inspiration came from a burger joint that is extremely popular in California... In n' Out Burger. Since Alabama is playing USC tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect time to feature my first (of many) tailgate recipes this year. When you order a burger or fries "animal style", this usually means that it comes with extra secret sauce, caramelized onions, mustard grilled patties, and pickles. So, I started off with a creamy dip base and added mustard grilled burger crumbles, crispy bacon lardons, pan fried caramelized onions, cubed bread n' butter pickles, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After it is baked in the oven until golden brown + delicious, you whip a batch of my not-so-secret secret sauce and drizzle it over the top. At this point, everyone will be salivating, so all that is left to do is serve with some some chips or crackers. I also like to put out some different bowls with burger toppings for extra garnishing... pickles, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, + more sauce. That way, when a friend grabs a chip and some dip, they can sprinkle a little bit of this and a little bit of that on top for the perfect bite! This recipe is super easy, so almost anyone can whip it up, don't y'all worry. I hope y'all love this first recipe of the season!! Enjoy :)

For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles:

1lb 75-25 Ground Chuck

¼C Yellow Mustard

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

4T Unsalted Butter

For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions:

2 Large Vidalia Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter + 2T Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt, To Taste

¼C Sugar

For the Dip:

8oz Herbed Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1C Sour Cream

½C Mayo

2C Shredded Cheddar, Split

2C Mozzarella Cheese, Split

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

1-2T Worcestershire Sauce

½t Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, & Onion Powder

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Prepared Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles

Prepared Pan Fried Caramelized Onions

1 Medium Tomato, Diced

½C Bread n’ Butter Pickles, Diced

Shredded Romaine Lettuce

For the Secret Sauce:

1/3C Mayo

3T Ketchup

1-2T Sweet Pickle Relish

1t Sugar + 1 White Vinegar

¼t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, + Paprika

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the open to 350 degrees and spray a pan with Pam.

2. For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles: In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Pour off any extra fat and stir in the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and then set it aside.

3. For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions: Heat the butter and onion in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

4. For the Secret Sauce: Mix together all of the ingredients until everything is incorporated. Taste the sauce and adjust to your taste preferences. Set this sauce aside until you want to top the dip with it.

5. For the Dip: Place the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, and bet until smooth. Add in 1C each of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella (saving the rest to put on top), followed by the mustard grilled burger crumbles, cooled caramelized onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire, spices, diced tomato, and diced pickles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the left over cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and begun to brown on top. Remove the dip from the oven and drizzle the secret sauce over the top. Serve with Ritz crackers or potatoes chips, and have a bowl of shredded lettuce on the side to garnish the dip.

Farmer's Market Finds: The Best Damn Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich with Crispy Prosciutto, Peppery Arugula, Soft Herbs, + Sriracha Powder on Buttered White Bread

As long as I can remember, I have never liked deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches. However, that was all changed when we went to our favorite restaurant, JCT Kitchen, and we ordered some of their famous deviled eggs with country ham. I've made and posted their recipe here (with my own little twist) and they were fab. So I thought, why not turn them into a deviled egg sandwich? Now to make this sandwich even better, I used my favorite items that I found at our local farmer's market. This baby arugula is to die for... if you're in the local Atlanta area, stop by the Peachtree Road Farmer's Market and buy some of this arugula from Abundant Harvest Gardens. We normally have to buy two bags every Saturday, one to cook with and one to snack on during the ride home. I don't think I can adequately describe the flavor of these greens. It is nothing like the arugula you buy at the grocery store that is sorta peppery... this shit is straight up wasabi. I literally can't rave about it enough. I'm also in love with this bread. It's from another vendor at the farmer's market, TGM Bread. But anyway, back to this sandwich... you start by boiling a dozen of eggs until they are just cooked through. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the yellow egg yolks, homemade mayo or aioli, softened goat cheese, minced cornichons + shallots, dijon mustard, white balsamic reduction, and a whole mess of fresh herbs (chives, tarragon, basil, and parsley to be exact). Then all you have to do is fold in the diced up egg whites and season with salt + pepper. The one component left, that really takes this recipe over the top, is the crispy prosciutto. I've had all different kinds of egg salad sandwiches, most of them had bacon them, and it just didn't taste quite right. I love the flavor of the country ham/prosciutto on JCT's deviled eggs, so I thought that would be perfect on a sandwich. But, one thing that had to be changed was the texture. This was easily solved by baking some prosciutto until the fat rendered and began to crisp up. Essentially, because it is so thinly sliced, the meat practically melts on your tongue, so that you have delicious-porky-goodness with each bite. All that you have to do is assemble the sandwiches. Get your gorgeous loaf of white bread and fry it in some butter until golden brown + toasted. Next, you slather on a thick heap of that herbed egg salad, followed by a sprinkling of homemade sriracha powder. Finally, you just lay on some slices of that crispy prosciutto and a mound of those spicy arugula greens. The only thing left to do is to devour it. And trust me, that is the easiest and yummiest part of the recipe! Enjoy :)

For the Crispy Prosciutto:

6oz Thinly Sliced Prosciutto

EVOO, For Brushing

3-4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Cracked Pepper

For the Herbed Egg Salad:

12 Extra Large Eggs

¼C + 1T Homemade Aioli

3 Cornichons, Finely Minced

1 Small Shallot, Minced

2T Goat Cheese, Room Temperature

2t Dijon Mustard

1T White Balsamic Reduction (honey may be substituted if needed)

2T Fresh Chives, Snipped

1T Fresh Tarragon, Minced

2t Fresh Basil, Minced

1t Fresh Parsley, Minced

Kosher + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Deviled Egg Salad Sandwiches:

Prepared Crispy Prosciutto Slices

Prepared Herbed Egg Salad

Fresh Baby Arugula

Homemade Sriracha Powder, For Sprinkling

Buttered, Toasted Slices of White Bread

Directions:

1. For the Crispy Prosciutto: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the prosciutto evenly between both baking sheets, making sure to lay them flat. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with some EVOO and scatter the fresh sprigs of rosemary on top. Bake the prosciutto until the fat turns golden and the meat is darker in color. This will take about 15 minutes (making sure to rotate baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time). Using tongs, carefully transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will continue tot crisp as it cools). Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwich. 

2. For the Herbed Egg Salad: In a large pot, cover the eggs with cold water and bring them to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath until chilled, about 5-10 minutes. In the bowl of a standing mixer that is fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the aioli, minced cornichons, goat cheese, Dijon mustard, white balsamic reduction, and minced shallots. Peel the eggs and slice them in half, and then scoop out the yellow egg yolk. On a cutting board, dice up the egg whites into bite size pieces and set them aside. Add the yolks to the bowl of aioli; beat this mixture until it is light and fluffy. Gently fold in the diced egg whites and herbs into the whipped egg yolk-aioli mixture. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the egg salad in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your sandwich.

3. Assembling the Sandwiches: In a small sauté pan, toast your bread in a little bit of butter until it is golden brown. Remove the bread from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Top one slice of the bread with the herbed egg salad, a sprinkle of Sriracha powder, a few strips of crispy prosciutto, and a pile of fresh baby arugula, followed by the other slice of bread. Enjoy while the arugula is still crisp!

How To : Homemade Russian 1,000 Aioli

Homemade Russian 1,000 Aioli

I want to first off by addressing the "name" of my new aioli concoction. Because today, we are focusing on one of the most important parts of any reuben sandwich... well, if not the most important part-- the Russian Dressing vs. Thousand Island Dressing debate. The topic can get quite heated in the culinary world of blogs, magazines, and even amongst chefs. However, I knew from the get-go, that every component had to be top-knotch or homemade in nature. I decided to blend the two together to form a SUPER sauce, packed with extra flavor and making it even more extreme. I mean, face it, "Russian 1,000 Aioli" sounds mechanical, nuclear, or even the highest improvement that can be made. If you didn't know I was a food blogger, you might actually think that I might be talking about sports cars or spaceships or computer technology. HA, good joke. But anyway, our entire family has naturally been on a corned beef kick lately... we made it monday, wednesday, + sunday. And to be honest, I think we're still beggin' for that cut o' meat all over again. Although I was repulsed by the idea of pickled, boiled beef brisket in the past... I have become enamored with it. Cooking partially in boiling water, and then glazing it with a sweet + tangy homemade honey mustard sauce before it heads into the oven to broil, really takes it over the top. I mean, heck, it's made a believer outta me!! I repeated the previous recipe, exactly), but this time I knew I wanted to make over-the-top reuben sandwiches. The rundown for that glorious meal between two buns will be posted on Monay (so check back, ya'hear).  I began with making a basic aioli (a.k.a. homemade mayonnaise using egg yolks and canola oil, amongst other things). I use the food processor for this process, so that the machine keeps moving and whipping the mayo, without allowing it to curdle/separate. You can also do this by hand, but heck, who wants to lose an arm that way? Pardon the sarcasm, you won't lose an arm, but trust me it'll be as sore as the dickens. My aioli starts off quite basic actually... toss in a large egg yolk, a splash of red wine vinegar + freshly squeezed lemon juice, some smashed garlic paste, a dabble of dijon mustard, and a big pinch of salt & sugar. I pulse that mixture up as best as I can until it is as smooth as you can get it (but don't worry, it should become creamier throughout the process). After the painstakingly annoying task of slowly drizzling in the oil (with the processor running on constant speed for its' entire duration), literally one drip at a time, your once liquidy yellow stuff will bloom into a creamy, off-white mayonnaise texture. YAY, you're almost there. Remove this mayo mixture into a mixing bowl to finish it off, completing the transformation it into the soon-to-be-famous Russian 1,000 Aioli. You whisk in the typical cast of characters: ketchup, mustard (or honey mustard, like I used), horseradish, Sriracha, onion  powder, cayenne powder, and add any other needed seasonings. Whisk to combine, so that the ingredients evenly disperse throughout. In my hybrid of the Russian Dressing/Thousand Island Dressing... I love to hand-dice pretty decent chunks of bread + butter pickles. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you could easily substitute relish, but I love the texture and pop of vinegary flavor the pickle chips in the sauce. So, bless your heart, do what you please! This sauce might seem time consuming, but the food processor cuts out majority of the work for you. Just make sure to whisk in the pickle chips at the very in, instead of blending them into a relish. And as for my secret ingredient... freshly ground nutmeg and ground cloves. I know, it might sound odd putting those two pungent flavors into a creamy, classic, americano sauce, but they give the dip the some major sass and elevates it from run-of-the-mill-bottled-dressing to awesome-homemade-aioli. Trust me, it's not just good on reubens, it goes great on the following: BURGERS (ohmahgah, it'll be your new secret sauce for cookout parties, trust me), patty melts, sandwiches, french fries, fried pickles, cobb salads, etc. You catch mah drift. And get yo'self excited because this sauce is featured on the best Reuben Sandwich I've ever made... it'll be posted in a day or so!! Enjoy :)


the makings of the perfect Russian dressing-- aioli style



For the Aioli:

1 Large Egg Yolk

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced into a Paste with Sea Salt

1 Egg Yolk

1t Red Wine Vinegar

2t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

½t Dijon Mustard & 1T Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

1C Canola Oil

¼C Ketchup

1T Honey Mustard

1t Prepared Horseradish

½t Salt, White Pepper, & Cayenne

1t Onion Powder

Freshly Grated Nutmeg + Ground Cloves, To Taste

½C Finely Diced Bread n’ Butter Pickles (dice into small cubes/squares)

Directions:

1. For the Russian 1,000 Aioli: Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, sugar, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ¾C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color).

2. Finishing the Aioli: By hand, whisk in the ketchup, honey mustard, horseradish, white pepper, cayenne, onion powder, freshly grated nutmeg, and ground cloves. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste, if needed.

3. Lastly, fold in the small diced pickles until evenly incorporated throughout. Use the sauce right away or store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use!!

Pickled Cranberries with Champagne + Vanilla Bean

Pickled Cranberries with Champagne + Vanilla Bean

We're still continuing on with recipes inspired by Thanksgiving :) Only 5ish days away until we reach a turkey coma, yippee!! I have been enamored the past year with pickling, jamming, and preserving. It's been almost a weekly ritual. Well, this is one of the first recipes I saw and I was immediately excited. Who makes pickles with fruit?? Who makes pickled cranberries?? One fabulous food blogger did and the results were fabulous, I stored it away, knowing I would eventually make these before the big day (and no the big day isn't a wedding day). I used her recipe as a base, but decided to change it up a bit by making it with champagne vinegar, vanilla bean, and fresh citrus. All of those are lovable, so my pickled cranberries nailed it! I love this variation, it seems so festive doesn't it? There's something about citrus and champagne that remind me of the holidays. Speaking of champagne, this is also amazing mixed into cocktails for an-even-better mimosa. Don't question it, just try it. I love it's vinegary power, but it's totally rounded out with unfounded sweetness from the vanilla bean and mulling spices. Not only is this great for the "cranberry sauce" element at the table, but is worth every calorie on a Thanksgiving leftover sandwich or on top of some cheese. It is just unbelievably versatile and we're totally digging it!! Are ya'll... I hope so!! Enjoy :)

holiday edition boursin cheese + pickled cranberries... delish crostini :)

For the Pickled Cranberries:

24oz Fresh Cranberries

3C Champagne Vinegar

3C Sugar

2 Cinnamon Sticks

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

1 Orange, Zested

1t Allspice Berries

½t Whole Cloves + Pink Peppercorns

¼t Juniper Berries

Directions:

1. Prepare a boiling water bath and mason jars. Place lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Wash the fresh cranberries and pick over for any stems or bad berries.

2. For the Pickled Cranberries: Combine the champagne vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, and orange zest to the brine. Put all of the spices into a spice bag or tie them in cheesecloth. Add them to the brine. Once the brine is boiling vigorously, add the cranberries. Stir to combine and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the cranberries begin to pop and bring has returned to a rolling boil. After the cooking time has elapsed, remove the pot from the heat. Pull out the spice bag, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean. Break the cinnamon sticks in halves or thirds and set aside.

3. Finishing the Pickled Cranberries:Using a slotted spoon, ladle cranberries into prepared jars. Cover berries with brine, leaving about a ½-inch headspace. Place a cinnamon stick segment into each jar. Wipe the jar rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and check seals. Any unsealed jars should be kept in the refrigerator. Let jars sit for at least 24 hours before eating to all the flavors to settle.

source: pickled cranberries.

"Southern Style" Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwich with Ham, Smoked Swiss, Homemade Garlic Aioli, + Green Tomato Pickles on Grilled Bread

"Southern Style" Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwich with Ham, Smoked Swiss,
Homemade Garlic Aioli, + Green Tomato Pickles on Grilled Bread

Raise your hand if you love Cuban Sandwiches! I'm raising my hand, and y'all should be too. They damn good delicious. Why are they so mouth watering-ly "cravable", you ask. Well, they have two kinds of pork products... typically ham and roast pork. I made it a tad bit gourmet by adding crispy pork belly because pork belly is the leader of all porky products. Add in some smoked swiss cheese, sweet + tangy green tomato pickles (god love the south), mustard, and a homemade garlic aioli. You load all of the goodness onto a cuban baguette that has be schmeared with lots 'o butter and grill it until crispy and the cheese is oozy. I love that the crispy pork belly gives the sandwich some bites of almost fried pork rind puffiness... chicharrones anyone? I know most of y'all don't live in the South and might not be able to find green tomato pickles. That's okay. You can make your own at home, like we do, or just buy some regular 'ole pickles at the store. And as for the smoked swiss, which can be difficult to find, that can be substituted for just aged swiss instead. OH HEY, and don't forget to go heavy on the mustard and mayo, y'all!! Enjoy :)

For the Homemade Garlic Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced

1 Head of Roasted Garlic, Cooled & Garlic Pulp Only

½t Garlic Salt

¾C Canola Oil

For the Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwiches:

1 Baguette of French Bread, Sliced Lengthwise

Yellow Mustard & Homemade Garlic Aioli, For Spreading

Cubes of Crispy Pork Belly

Thinly Sliced Black Forrest Ham

Slices of Aged or Smoked Swiss Cheese

Green Tomato Pickle Slices

Softened Butter, For Grilling

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Garlic Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, roasted garlic pulp, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

2. For the Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwiches: Slice open the baguette bread down the middle. On the topside of the bread spread on some mustard and on the other side spread on some garlic aioli, evenly across. And then place 4 green tomato pickles on top of the mustard. You then place some sliced of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles, followed by the sliced ham and crispy pork belly. You then join both halves of the sandwich. You are now ready to grill your Cuban sandwich.

3. Grilling the Sandwich: Use a sandwich grill if you have one, a waffle iron if not. Spread butter on top of the bread evenly. Close the grill, smashing the sandwich. Leave sandwich in the grill until top of bread turns to a golden brown, and top is crisp. Approximate time is 4 to 6 minutes. After the sandwich is crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally, from corner to corner.

Whiskey Pimento Cheese Burger with Bacon, Red Onion Marmalade, “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw, & Roasted Garlic Aioli on Toasted Brioche Buns

Whiskey Pimento Cheese Burger with Bacon, Red Onion Marmalade, “Condiment-Inspired” 

Romaine Slaw, & Roasted Garlic Aioli on Toasted Brioche Buns

These were some of the best burgers, we've ever cooked. I have never considered myself a master burger-maker, especially not on the grill. They always end up turning into a ground beef mess, where more meat ends up in the bottom of the grill instead of our buns. Not cool. So, as of this summer, we have been really practicing to bump up our cookin' out skills. And these burgers hit the spot! Pimento cheese burgers are my absolute favorite, so I have about 6 million different recipes at my disposal. This is definitely top-knotch. You have to make your own pimento cheese, that is key. I started with my favorite recipe, but went all willy-nilly on it, and added some cold, hard whiskey to the game. If I've said it was I've said it a million times, booze belongs in anything + everything. The other components to this awesome burger include: crispy thick bacon, red onion marmalade, homemade roasted garlic aioli, & perfectly toasted buns. But far and away, the item that brings it over the top has to be the "condiment-inspired" romaine slaw. I got this idea from the sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw from my fried chicken banh mi's. Why not make a good 'ole American classic for burgers instead? With lettuce subbed in for cabbage. Done & done. The romaine lettuce is thinly shredded and tossed together with pickles, tomatoes, shaved shallots, a mustard dressing, and a few other tasty treats! It's important to know that you shouldn't toss the slaw together until just before serving that way the texture remains crisp and crunchy. The burgers come together with such a souther, summer harmony. It's like a good country song playin' while you're sippin' on the porch kinda night... but in food form, obviously. I'm sorry that I've been so preoccupied with engagement stuff + wedding planning (ahhh already), but that's kind of what has been taking up my time. But, I'll keep making sure to give y'all new recipes every few days!! Enjoy :)

cooked medium-rare, just like my mountain man likes it.

"condiment-inspired" romaine slaw

summer... between two buns.

For the Homemade Whiskey Spiked Pimento Cheese:

4oz Cream Cheese, Extremely Soft

½C Homemade Roasted Garlic Aioli

¼t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, & Paprika

2t Hot Sauce

2T Sweet Onion, Grated

2T Finely Minced Chives

8oz Pepper Jack or Habanero Jack Cheese, Shredded

16oz Vintage Aged Cheddar Cheese (I like to use 8oz white and 8oz yellow)

2 Roasted Red Peppers, Diced (preferably done at home, instead of store-bought)

½C Candied Jalapenos, Diced

1-2T Whiskey or Bourbon, Very Cold   

For the Roasted Garlic Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

1 Large Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

1 Large Head of Garlic Cloves, Roasted & Pureed (let it cool before mashing or pureeing)

½t Sea Salt (or to taste)

¾C Canola Oil   

For the Mustard Dressing:

1T Yellow Mustard, 1T Dijon Mustard, + 1T Grainy Mustard

1T Honey + 1T Mayo

¼C Bread n’ Butter Pickle Pickling Liquid

2T Taco Pickles Pickling Liquid

2T Candied Jalapeno Liquid

For the “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw:

4C Romaine Hearts, Thinly Shaved/Sliced (roughly 2-3 large hearts)

2 Jalapenos, Thinly Sliced (optional)

1 Bunch of Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

½C Homemade Bread n’ Butter Pickles + ¼C of the Pickling Liquid

1C Homemade “Taco Pickles” + 2T of the Pickling Liquid

½C Homemade Candied Jalapenos + 2T of the Candied Liquid

2 Shallots, Thinly Shaved

8oz Cherry Tomatoes, Finely Diced (seeds & juices removed)

Prepared Mustard Dressing

For the Burgers:

80/20 Ground Beef Formed into Patties, Seasoned, & Cooked to Your Liking

Gourmet Brioche Buns, Toasted & Warmed

Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon Slices, Cooked until Crispy

Prepared Whiskey Pimento Cheese

Homemade Red Onion Marmalade

Extra Roasted Garlic Aioli, For Spreading

Prepared “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw, Just Tossed

Heirloom Tomato Slices (optional)

Directions:

1. For the Whiskey Pimento Cheese:In a big mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayo, whiskey, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Separately, shred the three blocks of cheese and put in the bowl with the seasoned creamy mixture. (I use the normal shredding side because I like it more that way for this dip). Toss the mixture together until the mayo is covering all of the cheese. Add in the roasted red peppers and candied jalapeno, and toss until it’s completely incorporated. Season the dip with any additional seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use on top of the burgers.

2. For the Roasted Garlic Aioli:Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, roasted garlic cloves, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with salt, pepper, & sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3. For the Mustard Dressing:In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined/incorporated and very smooth. Season it with salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to add to the romaine slaw.

4. For the “Condiment-Inspired” Romaine Slaw: Shred the hearts of romaine very thinly, so that it resembles the same look as coleslaw. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the jalapenos, green onions, Sriracha pickles, taco pickles, candied jalapenos, shaved shallots, and chopped cherry tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the condiment components and let it marinate for an hour or two while you are cooking the burgers. Just before serving, add the shredded romaine coleslaw mixture and season with salt & pepper. Toss to cover and combine, and use immediately before it becomes wilted & soggy.

5. Assembling the Burgers:Top one slice of a buttered & toasted bun with a thick layer of homemade roasted aioli. On the bottom slice of each bun, place a cooked burger patty, a few slices of bacon, a scoop of whiskey pimento cheese, homemade red onion marmalade, a slice of heirloom tomato, and a pile of the romaine slaw. Top it with the other slice of the burger bun.

6. Serve immediately and enjoy!