Besides Mother Nature's damage, the only other thing hurricane season brings is a massive barbecue.
After last week's announcement from the National Hurricane Center that this year's season will be "extremely active," veteran hurricane survivors (AKA me) who saw Andrew, Frances, Jeanne, a little Katrina, and Wilma shrugged it off.
Maybe I'm somewhat numb to the notion that hurricane season will be active at all because there isn't anything to look forward to except cleaning out your refrigerator. In years past, with power outages lasting upwards of nearly three weeks, I've learned to ration portions and pretend to like neighbors who have awesome grills.
This year, after the recent investment in my own grill and updated taste buds, I realized I'll have time to manipulate some of my favorite burgers, including the "Latin macho" from Latin Burger and Taco. Since I can't imagine the traveling burger and taco truck driving around during post-hurricane disasters, I can attempt to make it myself while getting rid of perishables.
If you want to prepare for the tasty aftermath this season, start by mixing ¾ pound of ground sirloin, ¾ ground chuck, ½ pound of crumbled raw chorizo (casings removed), 1 tablespoon of adobo seasoning, a large grated onion, and ½ cup of dry bread crumbs. Form patties and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
For the caramelized onions and jalapeño relish, prepare to bring your pots and pans outside unless you've got a generator. Cook two sliced yellow onions and ½ cup of bottled, drained, sliced jalapeño chilies in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 15 minutes.
Despite its delicious flavor, I would probably skip the red pepper mayo for hurricane season. If you're interested, grab the recipe here.
For the burgers, cook over medium-high heat until desired temperature. Top with sliced mozzarella and onions. Note: Latin Burger uses Oaxaca cheese if you've got it handy.
