Jamaican Beef Patties with Curried Guacamole and Grilled Mango

Ingredients

2 ripe California Avocados
1 lime (preferably a Key lime)
2 teaspoons salt, divided
4 Tablespoons curry powder, divided
4 peeled shallots (4 oz)
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (lemon thyme if available)
1-2 scotch bonnet (Habanero) peppers, seeded-use gloves! (if unavailable substitute milder hot pepper or up to 1 Tbsp Habanero pepper sauce)
14 oz can coconut milk, divided; stir well before measuring
1 1/2 pounds 85/15 ground beef (ground chuck)
6 whole wheat pita breads (6 inch)
2-3 firm ripe mangoes (to make 12 large slices)
1/4 cup Colavita Olive Oil
12 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and cut in 1/4 inch shreds

Instructions

Preheat a gas grill to medium high, or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover.

To make the guacamole: Peel avocados and mash with a fork in a small bowl. Grate or zest lime and squeeze juice; add both along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon curry powder to avocado and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap laid on surface of guacamole to keep it from browning. Refrigerate if making more than an hour in advance, but it is best used at room temperature for full flavor and so as to not cool burger too much.

To make the patties: Place shallots, thyme, 2 tablespoons curry powder and peppers in a small food processor and pulse until finely minced. Transfer to a small fireproof skillet and add 1/4 cup coconut milk. Place on grill rack and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 minutes to blend flavors and soften vegetables. Stir in the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add this blend to ground beef in a large bowl. 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 patties to fit the pita bread.

Wipe out small fireproof skillet with a paper towel; blend another 1/4 cup coconut milk and remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder in skillet. Place on grill rack and simmer for 5 minutes, until a clear yellow oil. Brush pita bread with this blend and set aside, covered loosely. Peel and slice mangoes parallel to seed to obtain at least 12 large slices.

When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with Colavita olive oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. During the final minutes of grilling the patties, brush the mango slices with remaining coconut milk. Arrange on a rimmed nonstick perforated grilling pan and grill alongside the patties for 1 to 2 minutes, turning as necessary. Remove mango slices when they soften slightly and are heated through. When the patties are cooked, remove from the grill, stacking to keep warm.
Place the pita bread on the grill and warm briefly on each side — they should be warm but still soft. Cut each in half; halve patties as well.

To assemble the burgers: Spread a generous amount of the guacamole inside each half pita; add shredded lettuce, a half patty, and a mango slice. Serve each person 2 half-pitas.