Name: Southwest chilli burgers with avocado crema and lime-marinated coleslaw
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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

For the coleslaw:
1) Mix all the coleslaw ingredients together. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours meld.

For the the chilli rojo:
1) Add all the chilli ingredients to a blender or food processor. Puree thoroughly, using the extra wine if necessary to make a thick, smooth sauce.

For the avocado crema:
1) Mash the avocados in a food processor or with a potato masher. Add the rest of the ingredients and fold gently until thoroughly mixed.

For the chilli burgers:
1) Prepare a charcoal griddle for medium-hot direct-heat cooking. Take 6 tbsp of the minced beef and mix with 6 tbsp of the chilli rojo. Make six equal hand-formed patties with the remaining minced beef.

2) Place 2 tbsp of the chilli mixture into the centre of each pattie. Carefully enclose each pattie around the chilli mixture to form a ball.

3) Carefully flatten each ball back into a thick burger, keeping the chilli mixture inside. Season the burgers liberally with salt and pepper.

4) When the griddle is hot, oil the griddle rack and cook the burgers over a medium-high flame until done, about 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. If the exterior of the burgers begins to burn, move them to a cooler side of the griddle until the centres have had a chance to cook.

5) Add a slice of cheese to each burger about 1 minute before they are done. Let the burgers rest off the heat for 1 or 2 minutes after cooking. Meanwhile toast the baps on a cooler side of the griddle.

6) To assemble the chilli burgers, spread each bap bottom with a layer of avocado crema. Add about 80ml of coleslaw, a burger with melted cheese, then a tablespoon of the chilli ketchup and finally the bap top.

Cook's note: I like the whole cow approach to minced beef and use two parts chuck to one part rib meat to one part sirloin or round. This gives the mixture a variety of texture and a beefy flavor. If you are limited in choices, chuck is by far the best meat for mincing and for burgers.

A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore we cannot make representation as to the results.