Rosemary Gruyere Bison Sliders

On my recent trip to New York City, I ate the most delicious burger I have ever tasted at 5 Napkin Burger in Hell's Kitchen. I ordered the original, which was a 10 oz. freshly ground chuck burger with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, and a rosemary aioli to finish it off - absolutely amazing. I decided to try to make my own adaptation of this juicy, flavorful, one-of-a-kind burger, this time using bison for a leaner choice and making slider-size burgers.

Rosemary Gruyere Bison Sliders

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb ground bison
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into rings
• 10 mini sandwich rolls
• 1/2 cup gruyere cheese
• 3 Tbsp Rosemary Aioli (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to let garlic burn! Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat other 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and season with salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

3. Combine cooled garlic and rosemary, bison, and panko bread crumbs in a bowl until well mixed (if mixture is overly wet, add more panko bread crumbs). Season with salt and pepper.

4. Form small slider-sized patties (recipe should make yield about ten 1.5"-2" diameter patties).

5. Grill patties until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Melt a slice of gruyere cheese on each burger during last 1-2 minutes of the cooking process.

6. Spread rosemary aioli on rolls, then add burgers and top with cooked onions. Enjoy!

Rosemary Aioli

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced

Directions

1. Combine ingredients. Mix well and enjoy on sandwiches, burgers, and paninis.