Directions

1. For the onions, melt the butter in a KitchenAid® Streamline Cast Iron 6-Quart Casserole over medium heat. Add sliced onions, bay leaf, and cook for 45 minutes until soft and caramelized, stirring often. You can’t rush this step, so take your time; this step can be done 1 day ahead of time. Add the cognac and thyme and cook until almost all of the cognac has dissolved. Add the veal/beef stock, salt, and a few cracks of fresh pepper, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Take off heat and set aside.
2. For the burgers, form 6 ounce portions of ground veal (use a scale or eyeball it) into a large meatball. Using a ring mold, lid of a peanut butter or mayo jar, or your hands, form the burger patties into a uniform size. Chill the burgers in the refrigerator until right before you cook them.
3. Meanwhile, to make the cheese crisps, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. On a KitchenAid® Nonstick 13″x18″ Jelly Roll Pan, measure 1 heaping tablespoon of grated cheese and use your finger to spread that pile out into a circle. Add a touch of cracked pepper on top and repeat 4 more times. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and keep an eye on these because they burn quickly. Take the pan out of the oven and set aside, the cheese will harden into crackers within 10 minutes. You may want to make extra because they are snack-worthy.
4. Preheat a KitchenAid® Grill and Panini Press over medium heat. Grab the burgers from the refrigerator and season one side with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a couple cracks of pepper. Place seasoned side down in the pan. Use your fingers to make a wide dimple in the middle of the burgers, this will prevent them from plumping up like a football while cooking. Season the top side of your burgers with same amount of salt and pepper and let cook for 7 minutes on the first side. Flip burgers; you should have a beautiful crust. Cook 1 more minute then add a small handful of grated cheese on each burger, toss 2-3 ice cubes in the pan and cover with a lid. The ice will help the cheese melt evenly and add extra moisture to the burger. Cook 4 minutes and move cooked burgers to a plate to rest for 2 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and mustard together and set aside, and toast your buns if you desire. To build your burger schmear some mayo-dijon mixture on the bottom bun, top with a piece of lettuce, the burger, a generous amount of cognac braised onions, the cheese crisp, and the top bun. Enjoy!