Asian Fusion Foodtruck Pork Burger

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

When I am in Los Angeles visiting my son, I like to frequent the Asian-fusion food trucks, which have become a big trend recently.One of the most popular things that they do is mix pan-Asian ingredients with Mexican flavors to generate a really unique flavor combo. As a tribute, in this burger I am combining a lot of great Asian flavors, such as sesame oil and soy sauce, with a set of Mexican/Tex-Mex ingredients, such as chorizo and sour cream. And, of course, there are many flavors which transcend both cultures, such as cilantro and lime juice. While at first mixing Asian and Mexican food might seem odd, it actually works really, really well!!

Ingredients:

Lemongrass Avocado Sour Cream:
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon grass
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup mashed avocado
1 teaspoon lime juice

Sriracha Daikon Slaw:
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cup julienned daikon radish
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1/2 cup julienned carrots

Patties:
1 2/3 pounds ground pork
1/2 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, removed from casing
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup grated onion
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 thick slices Pepper Jack cheese
6 good-quality hamburger buns, split
2 cups yellow tortilla chips

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat.

To make Lemongrass Avocado Sour Cream, in the bowl of a food processor, combine lemongrass, garlic, and sour cream; puree. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Stir in avocado and lime juice.

To make Sriracha Daikon Slaw, add lime juice, soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, sesame oil, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl; mix well. Add daikon radish, cabbage, and carrots; toss well to coat. Set aside.

To make the patties, in a large mixing bowl, combine pork, chorizo, cilantro, onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the bread.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, just until done, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, top the burgers with a slice of cheese and place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of Lemongrass Avocado Sour Cream on the cut side of the buns. On each bun bottom, place a cheese-topped patty, a generous amount of Sriracha Daikon Slaw (drained), and equal amounts of tortilla chips. Add bun tops and serve.

Makes 6 burgers.