French Onion Soup Sliders with Raclette

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 packet (2 ounces) onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 split slider buns
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• Sesame seeds, minced garlic and/or poppy seeds, for topping buns, optional
• Dijon mustard
• Arugula
• 16 ounces Emmi Raclette Cheese, divided

Method

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium-low. Add onions.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, 35 to 45 minutes, until golden and caramelized. If onions begin to burn, reduce heat to low. When onions are caramelized, add a splash of balsamic vinegar (about 1 tablespoon) to deglaze pan. Stir, scraping bottom of pan. Season with pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat oven to broil.
4. In large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion soup mix, Worcestershire and tomato paste. Form into 8 hamburger patties about 1/2-inch thick. Fry patties in large sauté pan 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked to desired doneness.
5. Place bun bottoms up and tops down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush bun surfaces with melted butter. Sprinkle tops with sesame seeds, minced garlic and/or poppy seeds, if desired. Place under broiler. Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.
6. Remove bun tops from baking sheet. Spread each bun bottom with Dijon mustard, and top with arugula, one hamburger patty and 2 ounces Raclette cheese. Return to broiler; broil 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. *Alternatively, you can use a Boska barbeclette to melt the Raclette; then add to each burger.
7. To serve, top each burger with caramelized onions and place bun top over.