When I think of summer I think of burgers, and after rooting through our cupboards I came up with this recipe, which was an instant hit in our house. The sweetness of the caramelized onions, combined with the spicy hit of chipotle mayo, made it absolutely mouth watering. My teen declared it the best burger he has ever eaten-and he has eaten a lot of home made burgers!The chipotle mayo also makes a fantastic dip for french fries or roasted potatoes. You could even try it in a sandwich!
Photo copyright chasingtomatoes.ca
Beef Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Chipotle Lime Mayo
1/2 onion, minced
2 garlic
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Lettuce
Tomato
Cheddar cheese, sliced
Whole wheat buns
Caramelized onions
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp chipotle puree (*see below)
1 lime
The burgers:
In a large bowl, stir together the onion, garlic, bread crumbs, thyme, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Crack in the egg, add the ground beef, and using your hands mix it until all combined. Divide the mixture into four portions and shape into patties.
Chipotle mayonnaise:
It’s easy to make chipotle mayo, just get a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce at the store (I use this brand) and pop them into the food processor. Puree. Then I scrape the mixture out into an ice cube tray and freeze. When the mixture is frozen, I pop out the cubes and freeze them in a freezer bag. These are handy for adding flavour to many kinds of dishes.
To make the mayonnaise, mix the chipotle puree and mayo together in a bowl. Zest the lime over top, then cut it in half and squeeze in the juice from one half. Stir. Cover and set in the fridge while you are finishing up the burgers.
Grill the burgers over medium high heat on your BBQ (or you could fry them up on the stove with a little olive oil), turning once, until a digital thermometer reads 160 F when you insert it into the middle of the patty. Top with some Cheddar and allow it to melt before removing from the heat.
Split the buns and toast them until golden. Smear both sides with some chipotle mayo before layering in the patty, then lettuce, tomato, and caramelized onions.
Makes 4 burgers