MUST-HAVE MUFFALETTA BURGERS!

Must-Have Muffaletta Burgers! image

Provided by Food Network

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

12 slices Genoa or hard salami "bacon"
1 1/2 pounds good quality ground pork
1 small white onion, grated
2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning (recommended: Cavender's)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 slices provolone cheese
Creole mayo, recipe follows
4 kaiser rolls
Red onion, thinly sliced
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Good quality Italian olive salad, chopped (recommended: Boscoli brand)
3/4 cup good mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Creole mustard (recommended: Zatarain's)
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

For Salami Bacon:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange 12 salami slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until the salami slices are browned (much like bacon), watching closely to ensure they brown evenly, about 10 minutes. They will crisp as they cool.
Transfer the salami bacon to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb the excess oil. Set aside to cool.
For Burgers:
Combine the pork, onion, garlic, salt, Greek seasoning and black pepper in a large bowl and mix just until evenly combined, do not overmix). Form the meat mixture into 4 equal patties a little larger in diameter than the kaiser rolls, so that when they shrink after cooking they will fit the roll perfectly.
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium heat. Once the grill is hot, cook the burgers until the juices run clear and patties are firm to the touch, about 6 minutes per side. Do not overcook or the burgers will be dry and tasteless. Top each burger with 2 slices of the provolone cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking to melt the cheese. Remove the burgers to a plate and tent with foil and allow to rest for a couple of minutes while you prepare the rolls.
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
To assemble the burgers:
Split the rolls in half and toast the cut surfaces lightly on the grill or in pan, just before the patties are done.
Spread Creole mayo on the bottom halves of the rolls and top with the burgers. Top each burger with 3 pieces of salami bacon, a thin slice of red onion, some lettuce, then a little of the chopped olive salad. Spread a little Creole mayo on the top half of each roll and cover the burgers. Press it down, grab some napkins, and ENJOY!!!!!