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

Ingredients

•  Compliments of Tom Wickham, Portland, OR

Slaw:

• 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

Chile Rojo:

• 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

Burger Patties:

• 2 pounds freshly ground beef (*see cook's note below)
• 6 tablespoons Chili Rojo, recipe follows
• Salt and pepper

Avocado Crema:

• 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

To assemble:

• 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

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 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.


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.