Showing posts with label Guacamole. Show all posts

For me, nothing says summer like throwing a few burgers on the grill in the backyard.  Or the back patio as is the case with me.  That's why for this month's edition for She Made/Ella Hace, with my good friend girlichef, I chose hamburgers.

I don't like to brag, but burgers are kind of my specialty.  My signature burger is my Mexi-Burger w/ Grilled Pineapple, which I love, but it's not my favorite.  My favorite burger is actually this Roasted Poblano Burger w/ Chile de Arbol Guacamole that combines three of my favorite things: poblano peppers, pickled red onion, and guacamole.

The guacamole is one of my favorites and it's so easy to make.  All you need is a couple of avocados and the Homemade Red Pepper Flakes I shared with you not too long ago.  But if chile de arbol isn't your thing, or you can't find them at your local grocery store, another tasty guacamole you can use is this smoky Chipotle Guacamole.

After you're done reading this recipe, don't forget to visit girlichef's blog to check out her Piggy Burgers w/ Sundried Tomato Ketchup.


Roasted Poblano Burger w/ Chile de Arbol Guacamole 

Ingredients:
  • 1 large red onion
  • 3 limes
  • 6 poblano peppers
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb. ground pork 
  • 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs 
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 4 avocados 
  • Dried arbol chilies 
  • Mexican crema
  • Hamburger buns

Directions:
Thinly slice 3/4 of the red onion into rings. (Reserve the remaining quarter of onion for the hamburger meat mixture.) In a medium bowl, toss together the red onion rings and the juice from 3 limes.  Season lightly with salt; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  

Roast the 6 poblano peppers on a griddle or comal over high heat, turning occasionally, until the flesh is completely charred.  Transfer roasted poblano peppers to a plastic or paper bag and let sit for 15 minutes.  (Remember this allows the peppers to sweat, making it much easier to peel.)  Remove the charred skin, stems, and seeds from the peppers.  Slice the poblano peppers into thin strips.  Heat one tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the poblano pepper strips and saute for about 5 minutes; season lightly with salt.  

Combine the ground pork and ground beef in a large mixing bowl.  Grate the remaining 1/4 red onion directly over the meat.  Stir in the bread crumbs, large egg, minced garlic, seasoning salt, and ground black pepper.  Mix until well combined. Divide the meat mixture into 8 to 12 equal parts and shape into balls; refrigerate until ready to use.  (I like to do this step while the poblano peppers are sweating.)  

In a small skillet, toast a handful of arbol chilies for about 30 seconds to 60 seconds just until the chilies begin to darken in color; remove from heat and discard stems.  In a blender grind the chiles de arbol until very fine.  Mash the avocados in a bowl and season with salt.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of the ground arbol chile flakes, adding more until the guacamole has reached the right amount of heat. (I like my guacamole spicy, so I start by adding a whole tablespoon of ground chile de arbol.)  Cover guacamole with plastic wrap (to prevent browning) and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Shape each ball of meat into a patty.  Grill or fry until desired doneness.   Top with slices of asadero cheese or queso fresco.  

To serve the hamburgers, spread Mexican crema on toasted hamburger buns.  Place a cooked hamburger patty on the bottom bun and top with roasted poblano strips, pickled red onion, and guacamole.  Top with remaining bun.  Enjoy!!! 



Now click on over to girlichef's blog to check out her delicious Piggy Burgers with Sundried Tomato Ketchup.



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Roasted Poblano Burger w/ Chile de Arbol Guacamole {She Made/Ella Hace}


I know this is only the third week that I've been cooking with Rick Bayless, but I just have to say that I am really starting to like the man.  This week's I Heart Cooking Clubs' theme was Sauces & Salsas.  Since I'm still waiting for my first Rick Bayless cookbook to arrive in the mail, I turned, once again, to Rick's website for inspiration.

With so much yummy goodness to choose from, I decided to make Rick's version of one of my favorite salsas: Avocado Salsa.  Rick kicks this creamy salsa up a notch with the addition of peanuts.  Another of my favorite salsas is made with just peanuts and toasted chile de arbol, so I had a feeling I would love this Tangy Peanut-Avocado Salsa.  Rick did not disappoint.  This salsa was a HUGE hit with my entire family.  My two college student nephews couldn't get enough of it.  Good thing I tripled Rick's recipe.




Tangy Peanut-Avocado Salsa
(Recipe from RickBayless.com)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
  • 2 serrano chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup water or milk
  • 1 ripe avocado



Directions:
In a blender cup, puree in the peanuts, chilies, cilantro, lime juice, and water (or milk) until smooth.  Add the avocado, and continue to puree until completely blended.  Pour into a serving bowl and season with salt.  (I used milk, because that's what I usually use to thin this salsa when I make it without peanuts.) 



Enjoy!!!    This salsa would be great as a dip served with tortilla chips, or as a salsa on quesadillas or tacos.  (I served my salsa with tacos de carne asada.)



IHCC theme: Sauces & Salsas


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Tangy Peanut-Avocado Salsa

When I was a little girl, my grandparents and I would go out to eat every Friday. The restaurants would vary between a Swedish smorgasbord, KFC and a tiny, Mexican restaurant that was only 2 blocks away from where we lived. El Burrito was my favorite! I always ordered the same thing. Not because I was a picky eater, but because I really loved their chicken taquitos served with a side of guacamole.

Chicken taquitos are still a big hit around my house. They're quick, easy and the kiddies love them. I cook two boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. But this is a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken.

Chicken Taquitos (Flautas de Pollo)


Ingredients:
  • 1 or 2 cups shredded chicken
  • 12 to 16 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup Vegetable oil (for frying)
  • Guacamole
  • Sour Cream

Directions:
Heat a non-stick skillet, a griddle or a comal over medium-high heat. Warm the corn tortillas on the griddle: wrap in a kitchen towel or aluminum foil to keep warm.

Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken in center of corn tortilla; roll up tightly. (To prevent taquito from unrolling, secure with a toothpick.)






Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place taquitos seam-side down in hot oil. Fry 4 or 5 at a time for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until a light golden brown.



Serve with Guacamole, Sour cream, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans. Enjoy!!!





With Love,
Leslie Limon

Chicken Taquitos (Flautas de Pollo)

Back in the States, I was famous for my guacamole. Wherever we went, I was always asked to make and take my guacamole. This is one of many recipes, that I learned to make by myself, by trial and error.

My guacamole has one "secret" ingredient that I'm going to share with you. I discovered it through necessity. My grandparents would take me camping EVERY weekend to a small "members only" campground in Oak Glen, California. Every Friday evening at the campground, a potluck was held. My grandmother would always take her sopa de arroz (spanish rice). But one Friday in particular, my grandparents were asked to take some guacamole.

Well, my grandparents kindly left this task to me. But we only had a few avocados. It wasn't nearly enough guacamole for the potluck. I checked the very small refrigerator in our camper and all we had was a container of sour cream. (Pappy liked to put sour cream on everything.) So, I thought I'd add a bit of sour cream to my guacamole, to make it seem like we had more guacamole. Sure enough, this was a hit, and I've been making my guacamole this way ever since!

Feel free to add as little or as much sour cream as you like!

Guacamole

Ingredients:

  • 4 avocados
  • 1 roma tomato, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • 4 tablespoons Mexican crema or sour cream

Directions:
Cut avocados in half lengthwise; remove seed. Spoon out avocado and place in medium bowl. Squeeze lime juice over avocado. (This helps prevent browning.)




Add remaining ingredients.



Mash with fork or potato masher until desired consistency. Season with a couple of pinches of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!!!





With Love,
Leslie Limon

Guacamole