Creamy Calabrian Burgers with Parmesan Potatoes & Caper-Mint Sauce

Step 1

1 Prepare the ingredients Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Pick the mint leaves off the stems. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Cut off and discard the stems of the sweet peppers; remove the cores. Thinly slice into rings. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Thinly slice the fontina. Halve the buns. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and as much of the chile paste as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be.

Step 2

2 Roast & finish the potatoes Line a sheet pan with foil. Transfer the halved potatoes to the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer, cut side down. Roast 28 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer to a bowl. Add the capers, mint leaves (tearing just before adding), parmesan, and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Step 3

3 Make the pepper agrodolce Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced sweet peppers and sliced shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Add the roasted red peppers, honey (kneading the packet before opening), vinegar (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated and the liquid has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

Step 4

4 Form & cook the patties Place the beef in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Gently mix to combine. Form the mixture into two 1/2-inch-thick patties. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip the patties (carefully, as the oil may splatter) and evenly top with the sliced fontina. Loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the patties are browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a work surface. Carefully drain off and discard any excess oil. *The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 160°F for beef.

Step 5

5 Toast the buns & serve your dish Add the halved buns, cut side down, to the pan of reserved fond. Toast on medium-high 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface. Assemble the burgers using the toasted buns, Calabrian mayo, cooked patties, and as much of the pepper agrodolce as you'd like. Serve the burgers with the finished potatoes. Serve the remaining lemon wedges on the side, if you'd like. Enjoy!

Step 6

1 Prepare the ingredients Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Pick the mint leaves off the stems. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Cut off and discard the stems of the sweet peppers; remove the cores. Thinly slice into rings. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Thinly slice the fontina. Halve the buns. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and as much of the chile paste as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be.

Step 7

2 Roast & finish the potatoes Line a sheet pan with foil. Transfer the halved potatoes to the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer, cut side down. Roast 28 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer to a bowl. Add the capers, mint leaves (tearing just before adding), parmesan, and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Step 8

3 Make the pepper agrodolce Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced sweet peppers and sliced shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Add the roasted red peppers, honey (kneading the packet before opening), vinegar (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated and the liquid has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

Step 9

4 Form & cook the patties Place the beef in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Gently mix to combine. Form the mixture into two 1/2-inch-thick patties. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip the patties (carefully, as the oil may splatter) and evenly top with the sliced fontina. Loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the patties are browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a work surface. Carefully drain off and discard any excess oil. *The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 160°F for beef.

Step 10

5 Toast the buns & serve your dish Add the halved buns, cut side down, to the pan of reserved fond. Toast on medium-high 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface. Assemble the burgers using the toasted buns, Calabrian mayo, cooked patties, and as much of the pepper agrodolce as you'd like. Serve the burgers with the finished potatoes. Serve the remaining lemon wedges on the side, if you'd like. Enjoy!