Buffalo Burgers with Pickled onions and Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

ingredients

• sauce:
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk dressing
  1/2 cup yogurt
  1/2 cup sour cream
  1/2 cup water & 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
  1/2 cup milk & 7/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  1/2 cup milk & 1/2 teaspoon vinegar/lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, chopped
• Rounded 1/4 teaspoon hot Spanish smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pickled onions:
• 2 small red onions (1/2 pound total)
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• burgers:
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound ground buffalo, formed into 4 (0.5 inch-thick) patties
• 4 English muffins, split in half

directions

Make sauce:

Roast bell pepper on rack of a gas burner over high heat, turning with tongs, until skin is blackened, 14 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. Puré,e 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 0.5 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. 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, 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.

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.