Buffalo Burgers with Pickled Onions and Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

A low-fat alternative to beef, ground buffalo is becoming increasingly available.
Active Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 2 1/2 hr

Ingredients

For sauce
1 red bell pepper
low-fat buttermilk dressing
1 small garlic clove, chopped
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon hot Spanish smoked paprika*
1/4 teaspoon salt

For pickled onions
2 small red onions (1/2 lb total)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

For burgers
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb ground buffalo**, formed into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties
4 English muffins, split in half
Special equipment: about 20 wooden picks

Prepation

Make sauce:

Roast bell pepper on rack of a gas burner over high heat, turning with tongs, until skin is blackened, 12 to 15 minutes. (Or broil pepper on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.)

Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly, then let stand 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel pepper, discarding stem and seeds, and coarsely chop. Purée pepper in a blender with dressing, garlic, paprika, and salt until smooth, then transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Grill onions:

Peel onions and trim root ends slightly, leaving onions whole, then halve lengthwise and cut halves lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Insert 1 wooden pick through each wedge to hold layers together while grilling, then put onions in a bowl.

Heat vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small nonreactive heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Pour pickling liquid over onions, stirring occasionally to coat with liquid, and let stand 5 minutes (onions will brighten in color), then drain onions and pat dry.
Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal.

Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate. Grill onions on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, until tender, about 5 minutes total. Remove and discard wooden picks.

Grill burgers:

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of burgers, then grill burgers on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once with a spatula, 5 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare. Meanwhile, grill English muffins, turning over once with tongs, until toasted, about 3 minutes total. Serve burgers on muffins topped with sauce and onions.

Cooks' note:

If you aren't able to grill outdoors, you can use a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan. Grill onions first, then burgers, then muffins, all over moderately high heat. (Burgers may take 1 minute longer than if cooked outdoors.) Lower heat during cooking as necessary. *Available at specialty foods shops and Tienda.com. **Available at Whole Foods stores.

Nutritional information

Per serving: 356 calories, 15 g fat (6 g saturated), 73 mg cholesterol, 638 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 25 g protein