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¼ teaspoon ground chile de árbol or cayenne

1 cup dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir

1 cup ketchup

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon molasses

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground ancho, paprika, and ground chile de árbol and cook for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high, add the wine, and boil until completely evaporated.

2. Add the ketchup and ½ cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, chipotle, brown sugar, honey, and molasses and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. The sauce will keep for 1 week in a tightly sealed container stored in the refrigerator.

Green Chile Cheeseburger

GREEN CHILE CHEESEBURGER

Unknown to the majority of this country, the green chile cheeseburger is a beloved culinary treasure of New Mexico. Having been there and sampled my share, I know exactly why New Mexicans love it as they do, and that’s why I had to bring my own version to New York. With its fresh bite, the Hatch chile is a favorite in New Mexico, where there is a whole festival celebrating the hometown crop. I like to add some heat to my green chile relish with roasted serranos and use milder, peppery poblano chiles to round out the mix. Tossing the chiles with acidic red wine vinegar and vibrant cilantro ensures a nice freshness to balance the creamy, decadent cheese sauce. Add some bright color and flavor with pickled red onions and some salty crunch with blue tortilla chip crumbles, and you’ve got a burger worth serving to even the toughest New Mexico critics.

Serves 4

Green Chile Relish

1 medium poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

2 Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 serrano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Burgers

1 tablespoon canola oil

1½ pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean)

4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Queso Sauce

Pickled Red Onion

12 blue or yellow corn tortilla chips, coarsely crushed

1. To make the relish, combine the poblano, Hatches, serrano, vinegar, honey, olive oil, and cilantro in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. The relish can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving.

2. To cook the burgers, heat a griddle or a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until it begins to shimmer.

3. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions. Form each portion loosely into a ¾-inch-thick burger and then make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked to medium, about 8 minutes.

4. Place the burgers on the buns and top each with a few tablespoons of the queso sauce, the green chile relish, pickled onion, and chips. Cover with the bun tops.

QUESO SAUCE

Makes 2½ cups

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk, or more if needed

¾ pound Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 3 cups)

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, increase the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.