Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Bulk Up Your Burger: Sirloin Burgers with Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Poblano-Tomatillo Ketchup -- 09/11/09

Bulk Up Your Burger: Sirloin Burgers with Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Poblano-Tomatillo Ketchup

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 1/2 cup bulgur
  • 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 8 tomatillos, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 block sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into 12 slices the size of the burgers
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 12 slider-size rolls

Yields: 12 slider-size burgers

Preparation

To roast the peppers, char them over a gas flame to blacken or pre-heat broiler. Once broiler is hot, char the peppers to blacken the skins, 6-8 minutes. Leave oven door ajar a few inches to allow steam to escape.

Place charred peppers in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow peppers to cool enough to handle. Peel charred skins away from pepper flesh, seed and coarsely chop.

Meanwhile, heat 1 cup of water to a boil. In a bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgur, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Step

While the poblanos and bulgur are cooking, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO. Add the onions and garlic to the pan, and cook to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos and season with salt and cumin. Cook 5 minutes more.

Step

In a medium bowl, combine meat, Worcestershire, cooked and cooled bulgur, parsley, salt and pepper. Form the meat into a large ball in your bowl, score it with your hand into 4 sections. Form 3 patties from each section to create 12 slider-size patties.

Step

Place a large, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add remaining tablespoon EVOO, wiping a paper towel around the pan so it’s evenly coated. When the pan is smoking hot, add the patties in batches and cook 3 minutes on each side. Melt the cheese over the patties in the last few minutes of cooking. Repeat with the remaining patties.

Step

While the burgers are cooking, add the tomatillo mixture to a food processor along with the chopped poblanos. Add lime juice, honey, salt and pepper and process into a thick, green sauce.

Step

Place the sliders on the rolls, topped with the Poblano-Tomatillo ketchup.