Name: Southwest "Chili" Burgers with Avocado Crema and Lime-Marinated Slaw
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H20M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H20M0.000S
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: american
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

Directions

To make the slaw: mix all the slaw ingredients together. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
Prepare charcoal grill for medium-hot direct-heat cooking.
To make the Chili 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.

A viewer or guest of the show, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. It has not been tested for home use.

Southwest "Chili" Burgers with Avocado Crema and Lime-Marinated Slaw

Ingredients

Slaw:

Chile Rojo:

Burger Patties:

Avocado Crema:

To assemble:

Directions

Cook’s Note

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