Sweet Heat Desert Burgers

Growing up in New Jersey, my fondest memory is of the Sweet Silver Queen Corn that was sold during the summer months from roadside stands along almost every back road and state Highway throughout North and Western New Jersey, and while it was great eaten straight off the Cob, the next best things was to make cornbread and eat it hot from the oven with melted butter.

As I grew older, I spent several years in Texas where I developed a taste for Tex /Mex cuisine.

This recipe takes the sweetness of Cornbread and mixes it with a variant on Mole Poblano, however, as an avid Chocoholic, I have always been somewhat disappointed with the traditional Mole in that the Chocolate seems too bitter. The substitution of Dark Sweet Chocolate to this burger, overcomes that failing, and makes a nice contrast with the Mild Creaminess of the Avocado, and the Heat of the Chile Peppers.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 lbs Ground Turkey
3 Chipotles in Adobo, finely diced
2 Small Ground Ancho Chiles
1 Small Yellow Onion, finely diced
6 Ounces Cubed Cornbread
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Anise
3/4 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil for Brushing on the Grill Rack
1 1/2 Bars of Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate
One Avocado, sliced into medium slices.
6 Large Potato Rolls split in half

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to medium high

To make the patties, combine the Ground Turkey, Chipotles in Adobo, Ground Ancho Chiles, Diced Yellow Onion, Cubed Cornbread, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Anise, Sugar, Salt, and Ground Black Pepper in a metal mixing bowl and form into 6 equal patties.

Brush the grill rack with the Vegetable Oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning once until fully cooked, about 5 minutes per side.

Place the Chocolate in a metal bowl and place the bowl in the grill but away from the direct heat to melt.

Just before Assembly, slice the Avocado into equal sized slices.

To assemble the Burgers, place each patty on top of the bottom roll, top with equal portion of the Avocado and drizzle with the Melted Chocolate and finish with the top roll.