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Hatch Green Chile Patty Melts

Source of Recipe

From "Love Welcome Serve" by Amy Nelson Hannon


Recipe Introduction

"This recipe is a delicious spin on a classic patty melt—peppery sweet from the Hatch green chiles and spicy from the Creole seasoning. My boys love them, their friends love them, and I love them. This recipe makes four sandwiches, but they're so rich and loaded that they'll easily feed six or eight. Cut them on the diagonal and dunk them in the tangy cream sauce."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for grilling the sandwiches
â—¦ 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds ground beef (80 percent lean)
â—¦ 1 (4-ounce) can chopped Hatch green chiles, drained
â—¦ Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ Creole seasoning
â—¦ 1 cup mayonnaise
â—¦ Juice of 1 lemon
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
â—¦ 1 small shallot, minced
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ Red pepper flakes
â—¦ 8 slices sturdy sandwich bread, like farmhouse white or sourdough
â—¦ 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
â—¦ 2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese


Recipe

Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, then melt the butter just until it begins to foam. Add the onions and a pinch or two of salt and sauté for several minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the onions to caramelize for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, while you prep the burgers and sauce.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef, chiles, and a few dashes of Worcestershire. Try to incorporate the chiles without mashing the meat. Divide into four sections and carefully press them out into large, thin patties. Place the patties on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Generously sprinkle Creole seasoning over the tops of the patties. Place the sheet pan in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until it's time to cook the burgers.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, shallot, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until time to serve.

Preheat another skillet over medium-high heat, and swirl 2 or 3 tablespoons of butter in the bottom. Brown the patties for about 2 minutes per side. Cook without lifting them, allowing a good crust to form. Gently press the center down so they don't puff up in the middle. The patties should still be a little pink in the center when they're done. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Carefully wipe out the skillet with paper towels and return it to the stove. Melt another 2 or 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet.

To build the patty melts, layer a slice of bread, some cheese, a patty, some onions, more cheese, and another slice of bread. Grill each patty melt in the skillet swirled with butter, pressing down to keep the sandwich together. Grill on both sides until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. Repeat with all four sandwiches, adding more butter to the skillet as necessary. Serve with the tangy cream sauce.

Makes 4 sandwiches