Burger (New Mexico)

In New Mexico, the state vegetable is the chile pepper, where they're layered atop beef for an iconic dish: the Green Chile Cheeseburger. Sometimes topping the Scoville chart and sometimes mildly spicy, these burgers are defined by a relish of mixed chiles and a handsome dose of melted cheese. This recipe has poblano, Hatch and serrano chiles with honey and red wine vinegar to balance. Pickled red onions add tang and a Monterey Jack-Parmesan queso sauce brings it home with creamy rich flavour.

Queso sauce:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 cup whole milk
12 oz Chihuahua or Monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated
¼ cup Parmesan, grated
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Green Chile Relish:
1 medium poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
2 Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1 serrano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. pure honey
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Pickled Red Onions:
1½ cups red wine vinegar
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 medium red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

Burgers:
1 Tbsp. Canola oil
1½ lbs ground beef
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
12 blue or yellow corn tortilla chips, coarsely crushed

For the Queso Sauce:  
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, increase the heat to high and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese until melted; add the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm.

For the Relish:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the Pickled Red Onions:
Bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Put the onions in a medium bowl, pour the vinegar over, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours before serving.

For the Burgers:
Heat a griddle or large sauté pan over high heat. Add the oil and let it heat until it begins to shimmer.

Shape the ground beef with your hands into 4 round patties about 1½“ thick and season each burger on both sides with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked to medium, about 8 minutes.

Put the burgers on the buns and top each with a few Tbsp. of the queso sauce, relish, onions and chips.

Makes 4 servings.