Vidalia Bullseye Patties

Ingredients

4 thick cut slices of Vidalia onion, or other sweet, large onions, about 1-inch thick
4 small bamboo skewers or long toothpicks
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for liberal drizzling
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (choose chuck for buttery burgers or sirloin for leaner patties)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
3 to 4 tablespoons grated onion
4 slices good quality Swiss cheese
4 slices good quality white bread, toasted and lightly buttered

Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Secure onions with toothpicks so they stay intact when flipped. Dress onions with EVOO, salt and pepper and add to hot pan; caramelize onions for 3 - 4 minutes on each side.

While onions cook, place meat in a bowl and mix with Worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper and grated onion – grate onion directly over the meat so that it catches all the juice.

Remove the onions from the skillet and drizzle a little more oil into the pan and wipe it around with a paper towel. When the pan smokes, add meat in 4 mounds, press mounds down with spatula and cook 4 minutes until brown and crisp. Flip and press again, caramelize the second side. Fold the cheese to fit the patties and cover pan with loose foil for a minute to melt the cheese, remove pan from heat.

Place patties on buttered toast and top with Vidalia onion bullseyes. Eat these knife and fork burgers with a side of spiced up oven fries and some oil and vinegar slaw salad on side.