Versatile Gamay really shines in summer—light, bright, and bursting with fresh berry notes. It’s fabulous at cutting through the richness of beefy burgers and decadent soft-ripened cheeses like savory Époisses. This recipe brings both together into a match made in Gamay heaven. Inspired by Minneapolis’s famed cheese- stuffed burgers, chef and cookbook author Andrea Slonecker (who is also winemaker Tom Monroe’s wife and the talented stylist behind the gorgeous food in this book) layers on even more decadence with bright tomato jam, pickled onions, and cornichon- flecked burger sauce.

Serves 4

Pickled Red Onions

1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

11/2 lbs lean (80/20) ground beef Salt and black pepper

4 oz Époisses cheese, cold (Note: Époisses is a soft, pungent, washed-rind cheese. If you can’t find it (or it’s too odiferous for you), taleggio is a good substitute.)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp finely chopped cornichons

4 brioche burger buns

2 Tbsp butter, softened

4 leaves butter lettuce

4 thick slices heirloom tomato

1/4 cup Pickled Red Onions

1/4 cup store-bought tomato jam (such as Girl Meets Dirt)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until onions are pickled. (Can be made 1 week in advance and refrigerated.)

Preheat a grill over medium- high heat.

Divide beef into 8 equal portions. On a baking sheet, pat each portion into 4-inch patties about 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Keeping the rind on, cut cheese into 4 equal portions and mold each into a 11/2-inch disk. Place one disk in the center of 4 patties. Top with the other 4 beef patties, using a spatula to lift them off the baking sheet. Pinch the seams together to fully enclose the cheese.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, and cornichons. Set aside.

Brush cut sides of burger buns with butter. Set aside.

Grill burgers for 21/2 minutes on each side, until both sides
are nicely charred. Avoid pressing on the burgers too firmly and squeezing out the cheese. About 1 minute before the burgers are done, place buttered buns on the grill, cut sides down, to toast.

To assemble, generously spread cornichon sauce on the bottom buns. Layer with lettuce, tomato, burger patty, and a pile of pickled onions. Spread a thick layer of tomato jam on the top buns and set on top.