Burger and Fries Friday: Manchego-Stuffed Pork Burgers

This week's burger is unique, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. It comes from a recent issue of Food Network Magazine, and as soon as I saw it, I marked the page. Given my love of burgers, I thought this one would be right up my alley -- and it was.

Joe hates black olives, but pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives are one of his favorite foods in the world. Since the flavor of Spanish olives features prominently in this burger, I knew he'd like it too -- and I was right. Usually when I make burgers, I only use a pound of meat, but I still separate the meat into four patties. Most weeks, only three of the burgers get eaten -- I eat one, Joe eats two -- and usually the fourth is wasted. (Sometimes Andrew eats a few nibbles of it, but he's not too crazy about the texture yet.) Tonight, though? Joe ate three burgers. So I know that he really, really liked this one.

I followed the recipe exactly, except I cooked the burgers inside, only used one pound of meat, and added some chopped flat-leaf parsley to the meat mixture to add a little bit of freshness. This one was definitely a hit in our house!

Manchego-Stuffed Pork Burgers
source: adapted from Food Network Magazine, August/September 2009

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound ground pork
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (go light on the salt; the olives are pretty salty on their own)
1/4 pound manchego cheese, broken into bite-size pieces
4 rolls, split
Pimientos, tomato, red onion, and/or lettuce for topping, if desired

1. Place the vegetable oil, olives, garlic, oregano, chili powder, paprika, coriander, cumin and allspice in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and the parsley.

2. Mix the pork into the olive mixture; season with salt and pepper. Shape into four patties. Make a deep pocket in each; stuff with some manchego, then close the patty around the cheese.

3. Preheat a small amount of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook burgers until cooked through.

4. Brush the cut sides of the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise; broil until lightly toasted. Serve the burges on the rolls with your choice of toppings.