CHIPOTLE SLIDERS
Chipotles are jalapeños that have been dried and smoked. The canned ones you’ll find in the market have been cooked and packaged with adobo, a sauce made with vinegar, chilies and herbs. They add heat and smokiness to all kinds of dishes.
To make chipotle sauce, buy a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, dump the whole thing into a food processor and purée. The sauce will keep in a tightly covered container in the fridge for about 2 months at least. Stir it into soups and stews, and add a bit to chicken salad or the dressing for pasta salad.
For sliders
1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
2 teaspoons pureed chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon minced shallots or onions
Kosher salt to taste
For slaw
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
½ teaspoon honey ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, preferably grainy
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, or to taste
¼ head radicchio, very thinly sliced
¼ head baby escarole, very thinly sliced
½ small head frisee lettuce, very thinly sliced
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
½ cup blue cheese dip, store-bought or homemade
8 to 10 slider rolls, toasted
Make sliders: In a large bowl, combine the beef, pureed chipotles in adobo, salt and onion. Hands are best for this.
Then, ¼ cup at a time, form the mixture into small patties. Refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the radicchio, escarole, frisee and onion. Toss to combine.
Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Pangrill the burgers for about 3 minutes on each side until they are done to your liking.
Serve the sliders on the toasted buns with the slaw and some blue cheese dip on top.
Makes 8-10 sliders.
Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at themom100.com. She can be reached at Katie@themom100.com.