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Summer goes hand in hand with barbecues — with a juicy burger being the fan favorite. Whether you’re looking for a burger that’s sky-high or one of the smashed variety, there’s no denying the icon status of this summer dish.

Nowadays, burger lovers can mix up their ingredients in any way they like, much like Cameron Diaz did with her Cuban smash burger. The Avaline Wine co-founder teamed up with Chef Sara Good to merge her Cuban heritage with the beloved summer bite.

The result? A delightful smash burger paired with chile-limón plantain chips. For an added touch, Diaz pairs this with Avaline’s lighter and more citrusy sips like their Rosé, White, Sauvignon Blanc, or Sparkling Rosé. Check out the recipe below!

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts canola oil
• 1 small red onion or ½ large red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 avocados (firm but ripe, cut into ¼ inch half moons)
• 1 jar whole pickles and pickling liquid (such as grillos) (cut into pickle chips)
• 3 ½ tbsp + extra for seasoning kosher salt 
• 2 limes
• ½ tsp mild chile flake (such as gochugaru chile flake)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard 
• 2 cloves medium garlic cloves (fine grated)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange 
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp granulated garlic
• 2 tsp granulated onion 
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 lb ground beef (80% lean)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 8 green, unripe plantains 
• 16 slices of Cuban bread or crusty French bread (alternative: 8 brioche buns)
• ½ lb sliced Swiss cheese
• ½ lb Black Forest ham (thinly sliced)
• Avaline Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, or White

Equipment:

• Large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot
• Candy thermometer 
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 medium mixing bowl 
• 3 small mixing bowls 
• 1 microplane or fine grater
• 2 sheet pans
• 1 mandolin (optional, to make the slicing easier!)
• Spider strainer (or slotted spoon)
• Large sauté pan (or flat top, if your stove has one)
• 2 wide spatulas (one for flipping/smashing patties, one for pressing your burger)

Directions:

First, start by getting your oven warmed up; preheat oven to 200°F. 

Then, start prepping for your plantain chips:

1. Pour canola oil into a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot. Preheat over medium-high heat to 350°F.

Make the Chile-Limon Salt:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine two tbsp kosher salt and zest of one lime. 
2. Massage together with fingers to release lime oils. 
3. Mix in ½ tsp mild chile flakes and set aside.

Now prep your burgers:

• Make the Pickled Onions & Avocado:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sliced onion and avocado. 
  2. Pour the pickling liquid from the pickles over top. 
  3. Set aside in fridge. 

• Make the Golden Aioli:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, mix together one cup mayo, two tbsp yellow mustard, two microplaned cloves of garlic, and one tsp sugar. 
  2. Set aside. 

• Burger Patties:
  1. In a small bowl mix together the zest of one whole lime & lemon, zest of ½ an orange, two tsp dried oregano, two tsp granulated garlic, two tsp granulated onion, one tsp cumin, 1 ½ Tbsp kosher salt and one tsp black pepper. 
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together one pound ground beef and one pound ground pork. 
  3. Add the seasoning mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. 
  4. Portion into eight equal-sized balls (four oz each) and set aside in the fridge.

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It’s time to make your Plantain Chips:

1. Line a sheet pan with two-three layers of paper towels and set aside.
2. Prepare plantains by cutting off ends and peeling off skin.
3. Using a mandolin, or a knife if you don’t have one, thinly slice (as thin as possible) the plantains lengthwise.
4. Using the preheated pot of oil (double check with your thermometer that it’s 350°F), fry the plantains in small batches until the bubbling slows down and the chips look golden (about five minutes).
5. Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove chips from oil and move to prepared sheet pan.
6. Immediately season liberally with the Chile-Limon salt.
7. Repeat process until all plantain chips are fried. 

Now you’re ready to cook the Smash Burgers:

1. Preheat a large saute pan or flat top over high heat. Once preheated, lightly oil cooking surface and add patties. (Make sure to not overcrowd the pan, the patties will require extra room for smashing!)
2. Cook for one minute undisturbed. Then, using a wide spatula or flat surface, flatten the patties until they are about ¼ inch thick.
3. Season with salt and let the patties cook for about 2 more minutes to develop the crust before flipping over.
4. Since there is pork in the mixture, make sure the patties are cooked completely through.
5. Once flipped, add two-three pickle chips, a slice of ham, and a slice of Swiss cheese to each burger. Cover with lid or sheet pan and let the steam melt the cheese.
6. Meanwhile, generously spoon the Golden Aioli on both sides of the bread and lay the Pickled Onions & Avocado on the bottom side of the bread.
7. When the cheese is melted, the burger should be fully cooked. Move the burgers to the prepared bread.
8. Return the entire burger to the pan. Using a clean spatula, press the burgers to toast the exterior of the bread on both sides.
9. When the bread is golden brown and toasty, move to a sheet pan and keep warm in oven. Repeat the process with the other burgers, then serve.
10. Enjoy with a crisp glass of your favorite glass of Avaline. Cheers!

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