Green Chile Cheeseburgers

It's summer, and that means grilling season.  And grilling season means BURGER SEASON.  There's nothing better after a hot day at the pool or an afternoon of yard work than a cold beer and grilling up some fabulous burgers.  Of course, burgers can get a little blah sometimes and I love to change things up every once in a while.  I do love a good cheeseburger, and anything with a southwestern flair is ok with me!  Enjoy these burgers during your next cookout and your guests will be begging for more!

Green Chile Relish:

1 medium poblano chile, roasted and thinly sliced

2 Hatch chiles, roasted and thinly sliced

1 serrano chile, roasted and thinly sliced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper

Burgers:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

salt and pepper

4 sesame seed hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

12 blue corn tortilla chips, coarsely crushed

Queso Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

12 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan

salt and pepper

Pickled Red Onion:

1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 medium red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced

To make the green chile relish, combine the chiles, vinegar, honey, olive oil, and cilantro in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

To cook the burgers, heat griddle to high.  Brush grates with oil.  Shape the ground beef into 4 round patties about 1 1/2 inches thick.  Season burgers with salt and pepper on both sides.  Cook the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked to medium, about 8 minutes.  

To make the queso sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.  Add milk, raise the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in the cheeses until melted.  Season with salt and pepper.

To make the pickled onions, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.  Put the onions in a medium heatproof bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over them.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 48 hours.

Place burgers on the buns and top each with a few tablespoons of the queso, relish, pickled onions, and crushed chips.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from Throwdown! by Bobbly Flay.