Chipotle-Frito Burgers with Lime-Pickled Onions

My inspiration was Frito Pie, the New Mexican dish of chili and cheese served on top of Frito Corn Chips. Years ago, you could enjoy it at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Sante Fe.

Ingredients:

1 small red onion
1/2 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds 85/15 ground beef
3/4 cup minced yellow onion
1- 6 ounce can chipotle peppers in abobo
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup fresh cilantro, washed and spun dry
6 slices sharp cheddar cheese
6 sesame hamburger buns, split
1-1/2 cup Frito corn chips

Instructions:

1. Slice the red onion very thinly. Mix with the lime juice, zest and salt. Cover and chill for one hour.
2. Mix beef, minced yellow onion and 3 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo until just combined. (If chipotle peppers are whole, chop them.) Form beef mixture into 6 patties.
3. Prepare your chimney for a charcoal fire.
4. Meanwhile mix the mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons of the chipotle peppers in adobo.
5. When your fire is ready, grill the burgers 4 inches from the hottest part of the fire. Flip burgers after 5 minutes and then cook for 5 minutes more.
6. Once you’ve flipped the burgers, put the bun halves on the top part of the grill, cut sides down to toast.
7. In the last minute of cooking top the burgers with the slices of cheese and take the buns off the grill.
8. Spread each bun half with the chipotle mayonnaise, and top the bun bottoms with the lime-pickled onions. Place the burgers on top of the onions, and then divide the cilantro and fritos among them, adding on top of the cheese. Add the bun tops and dig in!