Flay serves up variety in recipe

Chef, restaurateur and TV celebrity Bobby Flay has almost any food in the world at his disposal, but his favorite meal is as basic as it comes: cheeseburger, fries and a shake.

Flay champions the "perfect sandwich" in his new book, "Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes" and opened his first Bobby's Burger Palace in New York last year. He also did a burger demo for the Charleston Food + Wine Festival in March before a packed house.

So the guy is serious about his burgers, but not just any burger. A great burger, in his view:

--Is ground chuck, preferably Certified Angus.

--Is 80 percent lean, 20 percent fat.

--Is seasoned on the exterior with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

--Is never mixed with spices, sauces, onions, garlic or egg (no "meatloaf").

--Is 3/4-inch thick and indented in the center to prevent bulging.

--Is never pressed with a spatula during cooking.

--Is flipped only once.

--Is a cheeseburger, but the cheese must be completely melted.

--Is served on a soft, lightly toasted bun.

Although he loves a burger with the classic "works" —American cheese, sliced tomatoes, dill pickles, onion, ketchup and mustard — Flay does like to play around with different toppings. This Southwestern-inspired recipe is one example, with poblano chiles, a gooey queso sauce and the salty crunch of tortilla chips.

Santa Fe Burger

Serves 4

Ingredients

For burgers:

1 large poblano chile

2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean)

4 hamburger buns, split; toasted if desired

12 blue or yellow corn tortilla chips

For queso sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put the chile on a rimmed baking sheet, rub with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the skin of the chile is blackened, about 15 minutes. Remove the chile from the oven, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the chile steam for 15 minutes. Peel, stem and seed the chile and then coarsely chop it.

To make the queso sauce, 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. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions. Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper. Use the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to brush the burgers. Cook them over high heat (grill or pan), 3 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side for medium rare. The internal temperature will be about 145 degrees. (The USDA recommends 160 degrees, or well done, for safety reasons.)

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top each with a few tablespoons of queso sauce, chips and some of the poblano. Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately.

Teresa Taylor is the food editor. Reach her at food@postandcourier.com or 937-4886.