Breakfast in Baja Burgers

Ingredients

Fire-Roasted Guacamole:
3 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
1 fresh California Haas avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
2 – 4 ounce cans fire-roasted green chiles (I prefer Ortega Original Fire-Roasted Chiles)
2/3 cup shredded Manchego cheese
1/3 cup diced fresh red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck
1/4 pound very finely chopped chorizo sausage (casings removed before chopping) (I prefer D’Artagnan brand)
1/4 cup Sutter Home Zinfandel
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons Ancho chile powder (I prefer Spice Islands brand)
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Achiote Poblano Eggs:
2 teaspoons annatto seeds
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cup diced fresh poblano pepper
1/4 cup diced fresh red pepper
6 large eggs, lightly beaten in a medium bowl
Vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack
6 – 10 inch Gordita Style Burrito flour tortillas

Instructions

• Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
• To make the Fire-Roasted Guacamole, place pumpkin seeds in a medium non-stick pan on the grill rack. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until seeds are fragrant and lightly browned, careful not to burn. Remove from grill and cool. Coarsely mash the avocado in a medium bowl and stir in pumpkin seeds, chiles, cheese, onion, cilantro and lime juice. (Mixture should be slightly chunky.) Cover surface of guacamole completely with plastic wrap and set aside.
• To make the patties, spread the chuck out in a large shallow pan. Sprinkle evenly with chorizo, wine, cilantro, garlic, cumin, oregano, chile powder, black pepper, salt and cinnamon. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into 6 inch long by 2 inch wide patties to fit the tortillas. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
• To make the Achiote Poblano Eggs, grind annatto seeds, garlic, cumin and oregano in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to a mealy consistency. Add to a small bowl and stir in lime juice to form a paste. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan on the grill rack. Sauté poblano and red peppers for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until peppers are tender crisp. Stir in herb (achiote) paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes until peppers are slightly soft. Add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set. Remove from grill and keep warm.
• To cook the patties, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill rack, cover and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the patties and cook until done to preference, 3 to 4 minutes longer for medium. Remove patties from grill and tent lightly with foil. Clean grill rack as necessary and place tortillas on the rack, turning once, to toast lightly on both sides.
• To assemble the burgers, in the center of the open tortillas, place an equal portion of the poblano eggs followed by a patty and an equal portion of the guacamole. Fold the left and right had sides of the tortilla over the burgers and press down lightly. Bring the bottom halves of the tortillas snugly over the burgers and bring the top halves of the tortillas over the burgers, overlapping bottom halves slightly and tucking in folded sides as necessary. Makes 6 burgers.