SOUTHWEST "CHILI" BURGERS WITH AVOCADO CREMA AND LIME-MARINATED SLAW

Southwest

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h20m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 31

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

Steps:

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.