Smoked Gouda Cheeseburgers

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the squash lengthwise, then crosswise. Cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips. Peel and finely chop the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste (or use a zester). Thinly slice the mushrooms. Thinly slice the cheese. Halve the buns. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems. Cut off and discard the pepper stem; halve the pepper lengthwise, then remove and discard the ribs and seeds. Thinly slice crosswise. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board immediately after handling the pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine the squash, pickle relish, half the vinegar, up to half the garlic paste, and as much of the pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly combine. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes.

While the slaw marinates, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, without stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the remaining vinegar and remaining garlic paste; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Wipe out the pan.

While the slaw continues to marinate, place the ground beef in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix to incorporate. Using your hands, form into two ½-inch-thick patties; transfer to a plate. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties and cook 2 to 4 minutes on the first side, or until browned. Flip and evenly top with the cheese. Cook, loosely covering the pan with foil, 2 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the patties are browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate. Set aside in a warm place.

Add the buns, cut side down, to the pan of reserved fond. (If the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.) Toast on medium-high 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface.

Add the parsley to the bowl of slaw; stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mustard onto the cut sides of the toasted buns. Top the bun bottoms with the cooked patties and cooked mushrooms. Complete the burgers with the bun tops. Divide the burgers and finished slaw between 2 dishes. Enjoy!