Howie burger

Total time: 1hour, 15 minutes Servings: 4 Note: From Paul Lindsay of Pasadena.

Howie red onions 1 pound red onions 1 quart red wine vinegar 1⁄ 3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Cut the red onions into one-eighthinch-thick slices. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, making sure everything is dissolved

3. In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, combine the onions and vinegar mixture. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half and the onions are softened, light pink to purple in color and slightly translucent, about 30 minutes. Pour the mixture into a shallow glass baking dish and cool before using. This makes about 2 cups of Howie red onions.

Dijonnaise 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1⁄ 4 cup heavy cream 1⁄ 2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1⁄ 2 cup Dijon mustard 2 cups mayonnaise

In a medium bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream and ground black pepper. Mix in the Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. This makes about 22⁄ 3 cups Dijonnaise, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The Dijonnaise will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1week.

Howie burger 4 (8-ounce) ground beef patties 8 slices Gruyère cheese 2 cups Howie red onions, or to taste 4 hamburger buns or English muffins Scant 3⁄ 4 cup Dijonnaise, or to taste 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1. Heat a grill over medium-high heat until hot. Grill the burgers to desired doneness, about 2 to 4 minutes on each side for medium.

2. Just before pulling the burgers off the grill, top each patty with one-half cup Howie onions. Place 2 slices Gruyère over the onions and continue cooking until the cheese is fully melted. Remove and set aside in a warm place.

3. Toast the buns on the grill, and slather the top half of each with a scant 3 tablespoons Dijonnaise. Place about 1 cup shredded lettuce on the bottom of each toasted bun, place the burger on top and then cover with the top of the bun. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 1,103 calories; 66 grams protein; 55 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 64 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 224 mg cholesterol; 26 grams sugar; 1,501 mg sodium.

‘My Uncle Howie … had a great love of Dijon mustard and onions. So I took it a step further.’

— PAUL LINDSAY,

Pasadena