Chorizo Burger with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Peppers

Hello Food-Loving-People!

First off, I apologize for not having put up any recipes in the last few months. Spring always heralds a hectic routine. There is spring cleaning to do, gardens to tend to, celebratory picnics and dinners to throw, and family visiting from India. Couple all that with a failed attempt at dieting and I was left with a slump in my cooking. I ended up using a lot of recipes I’ve already put up and ergo had nothing new to add.

However, summer is here - I know it’s been here for a while – but my guests/ family is gone, and I finally have some time to experiment and to put up some recipes. I have a new obsession with burgers but haven’t been able to make too many. Here is one that I made for a little bicycling picnic we took a few weeks back.

Chorizo Burger with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Peppers

1 pnd ground beef
About 7oz chorizo, removed from skin
Some smoked paprika (optional)
Salt to taste
1/2 onion,  finely chopped
1-2 chilies, finely chopped
Oil for frying

12-15 small sweet peppers
1 onion, cut into rings
8-10 leaves lettuce
Some mayonnaise
Ketchup to taste
Burger Buns

Chorizo Burger - Squeeze most of the water out of the ground beef. Mix together ground beef, chorizo, smoked paprika, salt, chilies, and finely chopped onion, until well blended.  Form the mix into burgers slightly larger than the bun. In a frying pan, heat the oil, fry the burgers on both sides till well browned. Allow to cool slightly.

Caramelized Onions - In the mean time, in another frying pan, heat a little oil. Toss in the onion rings. Sprinkle over them a pinch of chili powder, some salt and pepper, and about 1-1 ½ teaspoons sugar. Toss until onions are brown and the sugar starts to caramelize on the onions. When the edges start to burn remove from heat and set aside.

Roasted Peppers - Turn your gas stove onto high and using a pair of tongs hold the entire pepper directly over the flame. Allow to burn slightly, then turn the pepper over and repeat. Put in a plate to cool.

Spread a liberal amount of mayonnaise on the top and bottom of the bun along with a little ketchup. Place the chorizo burger on the bottom of the bun. Next put in 3-4 rings of onion and a leaf or two of lettuce. Top with the top of the bun and serve with the peppers on the side.