Sake-Soaked Cherry Burgers with Garlic-Herb Cheese

Garlic-Herb Cheese

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried sage

2 tsp. parsley

Salt to taste

White Pepper to taste

Hamburger

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef

½ cup Sake-Soaked Cherries

1 clove Garlic, minced

2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

¼ tsp. Sea Salt

¼ tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

2 tsp. mustard

Mix all garlic herb cheese ingredients in a bowl. Use a spatula, not a hand mixer. Set aside.

Mix all hamburger ingredients gently in a bowl. Form the meat into a ball.

Score the ball in a “cross” pattern, and separate into 4 equal parts.

Form each part into a patty, about ½ inch thick. Put a small impression in the center of each patty.

Cook burgers on a grill or frying pan, until desired temperature (I prefer well done for burgers, but that’s me.) If you fry them, be sure to use a spatula to press them down as they cook, or they round out like meatballs.

Spread the cheese onto one side of the hamburger bun, and place each burger on the cheese. Top the burger, and eat it. :)

Full Disclosure: This recipe is an adaptation I found here. I used my own soaked cherries, in place of their cherry puree, and added an herb cheese spread.