Mexican-Spiced Burgers w/Chipotle-Caramelized Onions

Instructions

1. Place the ground beef in a shallow bowl. Add the salt, cumin, coriander, mayonnaise, panko crumbs and a few grinds of black pepper.
2. Note: The mayonnaise and panko combination helps to hold the juices in the burger during cooking, but doesn’t change the flavor or texture of the beef.
3. Use a wooden spatula to combine the meat ingredients as best you can before doing a final, gentle mix with your hands. Gently form the patties into quarter-pound portions and make a slight depression in the center of each with your thumb. Transfer to a plate and chill for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
4. While the burgers chill, heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Separate the onion into rings and add to the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper and sauté the onions until soft and translucent 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chipotle chili sauce and honey and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onions are nicely caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
5. Raise the heat on the pan to medium-high and add the burgers. Cook until you see juices start to accumulate on the top of the meat, approximately 4 minutes. Flip them over, and after about 1 minute, top with a portion of the onions and a slice of cheese. Continue cooking to desired doneness, 1 to 3 minutes longer.
6. Transfer the burgers to a plate and allow to rest for a few minutes before placing on the rolls and serving.