1-2-Cha-Cha-Cha Burgers

Pairs well with:

Pinot Grigio

You won’t need a bouquet of flowers when you share our Pinot Grigio. This crisp wine with floral aromas is a wonderful way to make an entrance.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 T. chopped shallots
2 T. Colavita Olive Oil
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 cup sliced thin grape tomatoes
1/2 cup diced yellow pepper
1/4 cup diced peeled cucumber
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 small seeded finely chopped jalapeno pepper
The juice of 1 fresh lime
The juice of 1 fresh lemon
The juice of 1 fresh orange
2 T. Colavita Olive Oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
6 cloves chopped garlic
2 cups chopped yellow peppers
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. coriander
1 1/4 cup coconut water (found at Asian or Latin markets…if you can’t find Coconut juice, you can substitute 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/2 cup water and 2 tsp. sugar)
1/2 cup peeled, chopped, tomatillos
tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Stick of Sweet Unsalted Butter
2 large OVERRIPE Plantains (Black skins) peeled, cut in half and then the halves cut lengthwise. (You should end up with about 20 strips depending on the size of the plantain)
Colavita Canola Oil for Brushing the grill
2 Loaves of Fresh Cuban Bread
3 cloves of garlic crushed in 1/4 cup Colavita olive oil

 

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

To prepare the Patties, place the ground chuck in a large mixing bowl. Add the cilantro, the shallots, the olive oil, the lime juice, the chili powder, the garlic powder, the cumin, the cocoa powder, the salt, the cinnamon, and the cayenne. Mix together making sure you incorporate all the ingredients. Form the mixture into 6 0blong shaped patties. Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.

To prepare the Confetti, place the grape tomatoes, yellow pepper, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the lime juice, the lemon juice, the orange juice and toss well. Set aside.

To prepare the Mole, place a fireproof skillet on the preheated grill and add the olive oil. Sauté the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the peppers, and almonds and sauté together. Add the cinnamon stick, the turmeric, the oregano and the coriander and mix well. Add the coconut liquid. Cover the pan and allow the mixture to cook for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the peppers are soft.

Remove the mixture from the grill and throw away the cinnamon stick. Place the tomatillos into a food processor and add the pepper and onion mixture. Add the salt and puree the mixture until it is smooth and thick. Set aside.

To prepare the Plantains, place a fireproof skillet on the preheated grill. Add a ½ stick butter to melt. Place your plantain strips into the butter and sauté until they are golden and caramelized. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside.

To grill the Burgers, brush the grill rack with the canola oil. Place the burger patties on the grill and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Flip the patties and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until desired temperature. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, cut the loaves of Cuban bread into 3 equal pieces and then lengthwise to open the bread. Brush the inside of the bread with the garlic and oil mixture. Place the bread face down on the outside of the grill rack until lightly toasted.

To assemble the Burgers, place a Tablespoon of Mole on the bottom half of a piece of Cuban loaf. Place a burger patty on the bread. Top with
1- 1/2 Tablespoons of Confetti and lay 2-3 strips of Plantain over the confetti. Drizzle another Tablespoon of Mole over the Plantain and top with the other piece of bread. Brush the bread top with the garlic/oil brush. (Do not re-dip, it should just be a scant brushing)

SERVE AND ENJOY!