- 6
Ingredients
- For Romesco Sauce:
- 5 ancho chiles
- 2 tablespoons raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons blanched hazelnuts
- 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 slice country bread, about 1-inch thick
- 1/3 cup San Marzano canned tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 lemon, for juicing
- Kosher salt
- For burgers:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
- 1/2 cup diced shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 2 chiles de arbol, thinly sliced on the bias
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1/4 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, casing removed (or use finely chopped Spanish chorizo)
- 3 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 6 slices Manchego cheese
- 6 brioche or other good burger buns
- Mayonnaise, store-bought or your own homemade
- 2 ounces arugula
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1
To make romesco: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove and discard stems and seeds from chiles, and then soak them in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain c hiles, and pat dry with paper towels.
Meanwhile, spread nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and are golden brown.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute. Fry slice of bread on both sides until golden brown. Remove bread from pan and cool. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
Return pan to stove over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and chiles and saute for a minute or two. Add tomatoes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until tomato juices have evaporated and the tomato starts to color slightly. Turn off heat, and leave mixture in the pan.
In a food processor, pulse together the toasted nuts, garlic, and fried bread until bread and nuts are coarsely ground. Add chile-tomato mixture, and process for 1 minute more.
With the machine running, slowly pour in remaining 1 cup olive oil and process until you have a smooth puree. Don’t worry, the romesco will “break” or separate into solids and oil; this is normal. Add parsley, and season to taste with lemon juice and more salt if you like.
The sauce will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Try it on sandwiches and with cheese, eggs, grilled fish and roasted meats, too.
To make the burgers: In a medium saute pan, toast cumin seeds over medium heat a few minutes, until seeds release their aroma and darken slightly. Pound seeds in a mortar or spice grinder until coarsely ground.
Return pan to the stove over high heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil and shallots. Turn heat down to medium-low, and cook for a few minutes, stirring once or twice, until shallots start to soften. Add garlic, thyme, cumin, and sliced chile. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of black pepper, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until shallots become translucent. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, use your hands to combine ground pork, chorizo, bacon, shallot mxture, and parsley, being careful not to overmix the meat. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Shape meat into six 6-ounce patties. Chill in the refrigerator if not using right away.
Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking, and remove pork burgers from the refrigerator to come to room temperature (if you made them in advance).
When coals are broken down, red, and glowing, brush pork burgers with olive oil, and grill them 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until they’re nicely browned. Turn burgers over, and place a piece of cheese on each one. Cook another 3 minutes or so, until pork is just cooked through. (It should still be slightly pink in the center.)
Slice buns in half, brush them with olive oil, and toast them on the grill, cut side down, for a minute or two, until they’re lightly browned.
Spread both sides of the buns with mayonnaise. Place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, and dollop with a generous amount of romesco. Place some arugula leaves on top, and finish with the top half of the bun.
Serve the burgers with extra romesco and mayonnaise on the side, if you like.