Sliders with Red Onion Marmalade and Blue Cheese

Ingredients

Red onion marmalade

45g unsalted butter
3 medium red onions, halved and cut into 5mm-thick half-moons
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quick aïoli

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliders

750g lean beef mince
Olive oil, for coating
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slider buns or wholemeal dinner rolls, split in half
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (125g)
60g baby rocket (about 3 cups)

Method

To make the marmalade: Heat a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and swirl the pan to melt the butter. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 12 minutes, or until the onions are tender.

Sprinkle in the sugar and stir well. Add the wine and vinegar and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced and syrupy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to very low and keep warm, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, make the aïoli:

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.

To make the sliders:

Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high cooking over direct heat. Shape the beef mince into 8 patties slightly wider than the diameter of the buns.

Set the patties on a baking tray, coat them with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Brush the cut sides of the buns lightly with olive oil.

Transfer the patties to the grill and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned. Turn the patties over and top with the cheese. Grill, covered, for about 2 minutes longer, or until an edge of a patty (not covered with cheese), pressed lightly with a forefinger, feels slightly resilient, for medium-rare. Remove the patties from the grill.

Add the buns to the grill, oiled side down, and grill for about 1 minute, or until lightly toasted, with grill marks. Remove from the grill.

Spread the buns with the aïoli and mound the rocket on the bottom halves. Top each bottom half with a patty, followed by a generous amount of the marmalade and the upper half of the bun. Serve hot.

Credits: 'What's for Dinner?' by Curtis Stone, Published by Random House Australia