6 oz. Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 lbs. freshly ground round steak
Freshly ground pepper
Sourdough or French bread
Salt
1 clove garlic, unpeeled & cut in half
Fresh spinach leaves for garnish, if grilling (opt.)

If pan frying:
4 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. full bodied red wine
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

TO GRILL:

1. Prepare fire. Place 4 dinner plates to warm in oven.

2. Grate cheese and shape into 4 slightly flattened balls, about the size of golf balls.

3. Divide ground beef into 4 portions. Handling as little and as gently as possible, press a ball of cheese into center of each portion, making sure cheese is surrounded by meat. You should have 4 large, slightly flattened patties.

4. Season on both sides with freshly ground pepper.

5. Cut bread at an angle into long, thick slices.

6. When fire is ready, toast sourdough on both sides and set aside. Place on heat proof platter and keep warm in oven.

7. Grill meat, turning with metal spatula once, until done to taste. Sprinkle with salt.

8. Just before meat is done, remove bread from oven and rub cut edge of unpeeled garlic clove over one side of each slice. Place one slice, garlic side up, on each plate. Top with spinach, if desired, and hamburger and serve immediately, with additional toasted bread slices alongside.

TO PAN FRY:

1. Grate cheese and shape patties as for grilling. Cut sourdough bread into long, thick slices.

2. Heat large skillet over medium high heat.

3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, swirling to coat pan. Add sourdough slices and saute quickly on both sides. Remove and rub one side of each slice with cut edge of the unpeeled garlic clove. Set on heatproof platter and keep warm in oven.

4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in pan. Add hamburgers and cook, turning once, until done to taste. Arrange hamburgers on the bread slices, sprinkle with salt and keep warm in oven.

5. Pour off all fat from pan. Add red wine and reduce by half. Remove pan from heat.

6. Just before serving, swirl butter and parsley into the reduced wine. Remove hamburgers from oven, spoon a small amount of sauce over each and serve immediately.