Ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 small red onion, half grated, half thinly sliced
  • 12 leaves sage, cut into thin strips
  • 2 pounds ground veal
  • Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 1/2 pound crumbled gorgonzola
  • 4 crusty rolls, split
  • 1 head celery, sliced very thinly on a log angle
  • 1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 bunches arugula, chopped
  • A bag of Italian-style chips, such as Terra Chips flavored with balsamic vinegar

Yield

Serves: 4 servings

Preparation

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat with EVOO. Sweat garlic, onion, and sage until soft. Remove to a bowl and let cool. Add veal, salt, freshly ground black pepper and the nutmeg.

Take your rings off and get your fingers dirty, mushing all the veggies and meat together. Score the meat in 4 equal parts and make patties, making an indentation in the middle to prevent "burger bulge."

In a nonstick skillet, heat EVOO until it's smoking hot, then cook the burgers for 7 minutes on each side, until cooked through. While they're still in the skillet, top with the crumbled gorgonzola in the last minute of cooking. Tent with foil to melt the cheese and keep the burgers warm.

For the salad, combine the sliced red onion with the celery, parsley, lemon juice and a healthy drizzle of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine and reserve.

While the burgers sit tight and do their thing, heat the rolls so they are crusty and warm. Place one burger on the bottom bun - making sure not to lose the cheese. Dress the arugula with some EVOO and salt, place on top of the burgers with it and put a lid on it! Serve with chips and the celery salad alongside. YUM-O!