Roasted Garlic Cayenne Aioli

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the tops off of the whole heads of garlic to expose the garlic cloves. Place on sheet of aluminum foil, and drizzle garlic bulbs lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and then wrap the foil around the garlic to create a tight pouch.  Place in the oven and roast for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Then squeeze the pulp from the skins.  You will need about 1/3 cup of garlic.
3. Combine roasted garlic, mayo, lemon juice, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and some salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are well combined. Refrigerate to allow for the flavors to combine.

Caramelized Onions

Caramelize the onion slices.  You can refer to our post: How to caramelize onions fast – In 10 minutes.

Sauteed Mushrooms

1. Slice 8 oz of baby bella mushrooms, a quarter inch thin.
2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
3. Place the mushrooms in the pan; stir and toss to coat in the oil.
4. Season with a bit of salt. This will help it release moisture.
5. Continue stirring and cooking the mushrooms until they’ve released most of their moisture and are golden brown, 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Burger

1. Before cooking the burger, make sure all the toppings and the aioli are ready and that the brioche buns are toasted.
2. Toast the brioche buns.  Heat a 1/2 tablespoon of clarified butter, aka ghee, in a skillet over medium heat, buns sliced side down. Use a spatula or turner to lift the buns and remove them from the pan when they are golden brown. 
3. Form the burger patties by using a patty press if you have one.  Otherwise, form the patties loosely with your hands, being careful not to press them too tightly.  Put a thumbprint in the center of each patty to allow for more even cooking. Just prior to cooking, season the patties with salt and pepper.  
4. Heat a large heavy bottom pan such as a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.  Place the patties seasoned side down in the pan, then seasoned the other side of the burger with salt and pepper.
5. Cook the burgers on the first side for 3-4 minutes. Flip the burgers when they turn gray halfway up the burger and continue cooking another 3 minutes. You may need to reduce the heat to medium if your pan is getting too hot. 
6. At this point you’ll want to take the burger’s temperature and keep flipping it. When it gets within 150ºF, add the cheese slices to the burgers. It should only take about a minute before they are done.  If you need to rapidly melt the cheese, you can cover the skillet with a lid or round baking sheet. Cook to 165°F. Remove the burgers to a plate and loosely tent with foil for a few minutes.
7. Assemble the burgers by smearing some of the aioli on the buns. Place a patty on the bottom bun, then the caramelized onions, mushrooms and top bun. Enjoy!