Top Chef Masters, Season 1, Episode 8, Quickfire Challenge Winner

QUESO FUNDIDO BURGER

• 8 ounces Mexican chorizo sausage
• 2 pounds ground chuck or ribeye
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• Salt
• 8 thick slices Monterey jack cheese
• 4 brioche buns, toasted
• 1 red onion, thick sliced, oiled, salted and grilled
• 2 poblano or Anaheim chiles, grill-roasted, peeled, seeded and sliced

TRIO OF GUACAMOLE

• 6 ripe avocados, flesh scooped from skin
• 2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped and rinsed
• Juice of one lime
• Salt
• 1/2 small mango, peeled and diced
• 1/2 small jicama, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup  toasted pumpkin seeds, finely ground
• 2 large tomatoes, hacked and quartered
• 1 serrano, stemmed and roughly chopped

QUESO FUNDIDO BURGER

Cook chorizo until done, breaking up chunks. Drain and reserve.

Mix ground beef with chipotle and salt.

Form 4 patties, grill to blue-rare. Cool on baking sheet.

Top each with a slice of Monterey jack cheese, top with a portion of chorizo and another slice of cheese. Bake at 400 degrees convention to melt cheese and finish cooking burger.

Plate on bottom bun with roasted peppers and onions on top. Serve with trio of guacamole.

TRIO OF GUACAMOLE

Mash avocados, mix in cilantro, red onion and lime. Season with salt. Divide into three bowls.

To one, add mango and jicama.

To the second, add pumpkin seeds.

In food processor, finely chop tomatoes and serrano. Add to third bowl.