Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Spicy beef burgers with avocado sour cream

This burger has the potential to convert any vegetarian into a meat eater. The other day, In-N-Out Burger tweeted a photo of the most delicious-looking burger, and I continued to crave beef until dinner that evening. There's nothing like a thick, juicy burger sometimes, despite the little nutritional value it possesses. My craving completely surpassed my caring about the lack of health benefits anyway, so I hit up the supermarket after work to purchase some ground beef. In an effort to use up some ingredients I already had at home, I decided to make spicy burgers with jalapenos I had in the fridge, and spices I had in the cabinet. I also had a ripe avocado sitting on my counter, so I had to put that to use as well - avocados are expensive, and I'm not about to let one go to waste. The result: Spicy beef burgers with avocado sour cream. A must try.



Spicy Beef Burgers with Avocado Sour Cream
Yields: 4 burgers

Burgers:
-1 package of 90% lean ground beef ($2.53, Hannaford)
-6-7 jarred jalapenos, diced
-1 tbsp. minced garlic, jarred
-4-5 shakes of tabasco sauce
-Chili powder
-Cumin
-Dried cilantro
-Salt and pepper

Directions: Mix all ingredients together, being careful not to over "knead" the beef. Cook in frying pan with a tiny bit of olive oil, several minutes on each side, or until browned.

Avocado Sour Cream:
-1 ripe avocado, slightly mashed
-1 generous tsp. sour cream
-2-3 squirts of lime juice
-Dried cilantro

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, 30 minutes before serving time (this allows the flavors to mesh together). Spoon generous amount on top bun of each burger.



I served my burgers on toasted wheat bulkie rolls ($2.99 for 6, Hannaford bakery), with Muenster cheese and sliced tomatoes. On the side I had some Trader Joe's sea salt pita chips on the side. The patties were only mildly spicy, but full of Mexican-inspired flavors.

Whether you're a vegetarian or an omnivore, what's your favorite way to prepare a burger?

2 comments:

  1. One of my favorite burger recipes is based on this Chipotle Pork Burgers recipe from Epicurious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chipotle-Pork-Cheeseburgers-353670. Because I don't usually have chipotles in adobo and adobo sauce on hand, I spice the pork with adobo and chipotle seasoning instead. This recipe offers a nice break from traditional beef burgers and has quickly become a house favorite.

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  2. Thanks, Kim! That burger sounds amazing!

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