Grilled Chile Relish

For Labor Day last week, we had family and friends over for a Burger Bash. Yeah, we had the same ol' lettuce and tomato and onion and mustard and mayo. But I wanted to take things to another level. I did some brainstorming over a couple of days and came up with some interesting toppings combinations. Think New Mexico with roasted chiles, Monterey Jack cheese and a fried egg. And that's just the start. I'll post them soon.

Here's a pretty simple topping that I tried. It's deliciously rich and has so much flavor that it's all you need between patty and bun. Grill it up as you cook your burgers.

Grilled Chile Relish
Makes 3 cups.
From Food and Wine magazine.


4 poblano chiles
4 Anaheim chiles
(Note: I used 8 mild Hatch green chiles since they were still in season.)
1 large sweet onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Vegetable oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup each of whole-grain mustard and Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Light a grill. Rub the chiles and onion with oil and grill until charred, 8 minutes. Peel and seed the chiles and cut into thin strips; chop the onion. Transfer the vegetables to a saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, then serve.