Did you just drool a little bit reading the title? It’s okay, I did that too when I saw this recipe. I was lying in bed before falling asleep, flipping through an issue of Fine Cooking and the moment I saw this I sat upright and exclaimed, “We have to make these!” Ben hears these sorts of exclamations frequently but when I read the title out loud, he whole-heartedly agreed. While Courtney was visiting, I mentioned them to her and we ended up making them for dinner one evening.
The topping is really what drew me to this recipe. I’m a sucker for anything involving caramelized onions, and using them as a burger topping infused with some bacon and balsamic vinegar is brilliant. The burger itself is kept simple, just as I like it, with a bit of bacon mixed in to the patties. Since Gruyere and caramelized(ish) onions are a natural pair, and because I think every burger should be a cheeseburger, I added some when the burgers were finishing up on the grill. To me this is the perfect time of year for such a meal because it involves flavors you might associate with fall but allows you to take advantage of the dwindling days when it is still warm enough to fire up the grill. Of course I’m sure these would be wonderful made inside on a grill pan or cast iron pan in the event of a gray and drizzly fall day. Whether you’re a lover of bacon, burgers, onions, or all three, I’m pretty sure you’ll love these burgers.
And, just because I think it’s pretty great, here’s a shot I took of Andrew “coloring” with Courtney’s iPad. He loved having her here almost as much as I did. The morning after she left, the first thing he asked when he woke up was, “Where’s Courtney?” So cute!