You say poblano, I say Green Chile Cheeseburger!

A few years ago, I was absolutely convinced that I would win the HGTV Dream Home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I loved that place. I was so convinced, that after hearing someone talk on Splendid Table on NPR about the New Mexican staple, the Green Chile Cheeseburger, I spent quite a while trying to figure out a recipe. This is what I came up with. A wonderfully juicy, spicy, cheesy version of the original! Although I didn't win my dream home in the mountains, I won't stop making this delicious burger!

Green Chile Cheeseburgers 

Makes 4 burgers:

Ingredients:

4 "Hatch" green chiles (if available) or 2 large poblano peppers

1 smallish yellow or red onion, thickly sliced but do not separate into rings
garlic powder
1 pound ground chuck
Kraft cheese slices (I'm normally a stickler about processed food, but here it just works!)
lettuce
1 tomato
mayo
ketchup, optional (a real "no-no" in New Mexico!)
onion sandwich rolls
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

First you need to roast the hatch/poblano peppers. Click here to find out how. Next, drizzle the onion slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper on each side. Grill (I use a grill pan) the slices until soft and no longer opaque.  Now chop up the peppers and onions into the same size pieces. (I do it about 1/4 to 1/2 inch size.) Mix them together and plop back into a bowl. Heat up a saute pan and cook the poblano/onion mixture for a few minutes. Throw in a good dash of garlic powder, salt, pepper, and stir. This step is important. If you don't heat the mixture up the flavor is just not there. When done, drop into the same bowl and cover until ready to make burgers.

Divide the meat into 4 balls. Flatten with the back of a plate. Make them bigger than the rolls so they will fit after cooking, as they will shrink. Season liberally with salt and pepper on each side.

On a grill (but I have cooked them in a skillet) cook the burgers. I do about 5 minutes the first side. After flipping the first time, top each burger with as much poblano/onion mix that will stay on top. Continue to cook about 3 to 5 minutes on the second side. Now, a couple of minutes before done, I top each burger with 2 slices of Kraft cheese slices (don't judge me). Once the burgers look good and the cheese has melted smooth, remove.

Cover each side of the buns with some mayo. Put burgers on the buns. I top with some lettuce and a slice of tomato. I don't put the ketchup on the buns, just on the side to dip the burger in bite by bite. If you put it on the burger, the green chili flavor gets lost.

I think these are best served with roasted potato wedges (seasoned with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper) and a nice cold Shiner Bock from my childhood state of Texas. Prosit!

What I want to eat when it's freakin hot outside!

Today it's 99°, with a heat index of 110°!!!! Ick!  I'm so sick of the heat and the dreaded question of "What's for dinner?"  At times like this, I immediately think of the ultimate, quick, hot weather food from Rick Bayless's Mexico One Plate at a Time. Black bean-chicken tostadas with salsa and tangy romaine makes a perfect dinner that no one in my family will turn down. My version simplifies things by buying packaged tostada shells, a rotisserie chicken, using my favorite salsa, and a couple more tweaks. In fact, this is so fast that I pull this out when I'm in a pinch for time.

Black Bean-Chicken Tostadas with Salsa and Tangy Romaine

One package tostada shells

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1, 15oz can black beans or frijoles negros, drained

Kosher salt

2 cups shredded chicken (use a store bought rotisserie)

3/4 cup mexican crema or sour cream (I can find crema at my local mexican market. It's awesome and worth looking for! If not you can make your own crema!)

1 cup or so of your favorite salsa (I like a tomato/jalapeno type for this recipe)

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, cotija, or even shredded cheddar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups loosely packed, thinly sliced romaine

chopped tomatoes and cilantro for garnish

For the beans:

In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium heat.  When the oil is shimmery, add the onion and cook until golden, approximately 7 minutes.  Add the garlic until you can smell it (about a minute, no more).   Then add the beans.  Using a potato masher, mash the beans until they are soft and creamy.  Add a little water, if necessary.  Don't worry about lumps.  It should be lumpy but still smooth.

For the tangy romaine:

Toss the romaine with the vinegar and olive oil and about 1/4 teaspoon salt.

To serve family style (or you can plate to make it more special):

Put out the tostada shells, bowl of shredded chicken, bowl of beans, the tangy romaine, crema, salsa, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, and cheese. 

To assemble:

Take a tostada shell and spread the bottom with the delicious black beans.  Top with some chicken, romaine, salsa, crema or sour cream, and cheese.  Garnish with the tomatoes and cilantro.  Enjoy and don't forget to tell your kids to lean over their plate!!!

Chocolate and the Yellow Jersey!

While the entire US is still enjoying 4th of July celebrations, I'm looking forward to the Le Tour de France, which begins Saturday, July 4 through Sunday, July 26! The peleton (which refers to the entire group of cyclists, each wearing their team jerseys) will have to battle it out over 21 stages: 7 flat, 4 hill, 8 mountain (that will have 5 altitude finishes - my favorite!), and  1 time-trial. The Tour is a grueling affair, with wrecks (where some will suffer injuries, usually referred to as "road rash"), packs of humorously dressed fans (who are not restricted from getting as close to the riders as they want), and only 2 days of rest! Phew!

At the end of each stage, jerseys are awarded to the overall leader (the yellow jersey), the best sprinter (the green jersey), the best climber (the polka dot jersey), and the best young rider under 25 (the white jersey). The beauty of the Tour is that the standings can change day by day, up to the grand finale where the final jerseys (and prize money) are awarded! An amazing celebration and light show at the Arc de Triomphe wraps it all up! While I am not a true cycling enthusiast, I love to watch the tour to see all the beautiful locations that I have yet to visit! France is a beautiful country!

So, in honor of the Tour, I would like to share this recipe for "Tarte au Chocolat" from Reims, France (one of the Tour stages!), published in Bon Appetit, May 1994. This recipe is fabulous because it makes just enough pastry to create a beautifully thin crust, and the filling is rich and decadent! Please note that I've altered the original recipe by adding a chocolate glaze to give it a glossy top! After all, no one minds extra chocolate!

(They're racing to my tart! Ha! Ha!)

Tarte au Chocolat (Chocolate Tart)

Serves 8
*You will need a 9" tart pan with removable bottom.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

For the Chocolate Filling

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup whole milk

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 egg

For the Glaze

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

For the Pastry

Blend the flour and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the cream and process until moist clumps form. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap, gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk. Wrap in the plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out on lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of plastic wrap) to form an 11" round. Remove one sheet of plastic wrap (if using). Using the remaining piece of dough/plastic wrap, place the dough (plastic side up) into a 9" diameter tart pan. Press gently into place. Remove the plastic wrap and fold over the edges to form a double thickness on the sides. Poke the bottom of the pastry with the tines of a fork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, line the crust with aluminum foil, shiny side down, or crumpled and smoothed parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. (I keep a large jar of beans, which I reuse over and over.)

Bake 20 minutes. Carefully loosen the foil/parchment from the edges of the tart crust, then gently lift out with the beans. Continue to bake the crust until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Maintain oven temperature.

For the Chocolate Filling

Bring the heavy cream and milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Beat egg in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg. Whisk in the remaining chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the filling into the tart crust and bake until set, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

For the Glaze

Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a boil, then pour over the chocolate. Stir to melt. Pour over the tart so it coats the top evenly, tipping if necessary, using a spatula to smooth it out. Let set at room temperature for at least an hour to firm before serving.

**See also Savory Swiss Chard Tart and Creme Patissiere for more recipes that honor the Tour!