Southwest Chili Burgers with Avocado Crema and Lime-Marinated Slaw |
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Prep Time: 60 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes |
Ready In: 80 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Ingredients:
tom wickham, portland, or |
1/4 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups) |
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) |
1 bunch fresh cilantro, leavesfinely chopped |
1 lime, juiced |
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin |
salt and pepper |
1 dried ancho chile and 1 dried pasilla chile, seeded, stemmed, and soaked in warm water for at |
least 30 minutes, or 4 tablespoons good-quality ground chile powder |
1/2 to 1 minced fresh jalapeno chile pepper |
1/4 cup minced onion |
3 cloves garlic, minced |
1 teaspoon ground cumin |
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce |
1 teaspoon salt |
2 tablespoons tomato paste |
1/4 cup hearty red wine (like zinfindel or cabernet sauvignon), plus more if needed |
2 pounds freshly ground beef (*see cook's note below) |
6 tablespoons chili rojo, recipe follows |
salt and pepper |
2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted |
1/2 cup sour cream |
1/2 jalapeno chile pepper, finely minced, optional |
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper |
1 lime, zested |
1 lime, juiced |
1 large ripe tomato or 2 roma tomatoes, diced |
salt and pepper |
6 (1-ounce) slices sharp cheddar |
6 good-quality soft hamburger buns |
1/3 cup of remaining chili rojo, recipe follows, mixed with 1/2 cup ketchup |
Directions:
1. To make the slaw: mix all the slaw ingredients together. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
2. Prepare charcoal grill for medium-hot direct-heat cooking.
3. To make the Chile Rojo: add all chili ingredients, except extra wine, to a blender or food processor. Puree thoroughly, using extra wine if necessary to make a thick, smooth sauce.
4. To make the burger patties: take 6 tablespoons ground beef and mix with 6 tablespoons Chile Rojo. Make 6 equal hand-formed patties with the remaining ground beef. Place 2 tablespoons of the chile mixture onto the center of each patty. Carefully enclose each patty around the chile mixture to form a ball. Carefully flatten each ball back into a thick patty, keeping the chile mixture inside. Season the patties liberally with salt and pepper.
5. To make the Crema: mash the avocados in a food processor or with a potato masher. Add the rest of the ingredients and fold gently until thoroughly mixed.
6. When the grill is hot, oil the grill rack and cook the burgers over a medium-high flame until done, about 3 minutes per side for medium rare. If the exterior of the patties begins to burn, move them to a cooler side of the grill until the centers have had a chance to cook. Add a slice of cheese to each patty about 1 minute before they are done. Let patties rest off the heat for 1 or 2 minutes after cooking, and meanwhile toast the buns on a cooler side of the grill.
7. To assemble the burgers: spread each bun bottom with a layer of Avocado Crema. Add about 1/3 cup slaw, a patty with melted cheese, then a tablespoon of chili ketchup, and finally the bun top.
8. Cook's Note: I like the whole cow approach to ground beef and use 2 parts chuck to 1 part rib meat to 1 part sirloin or round. This gives the mixture a variety of texture and beefy flavor. If you are limited in choices, chuck is by far the best meat for grinding and for burgers.
9. A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.
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