German burgers with beer aioli and corn relish

Ingredients:

Burgers

• 350 g of ground beef shoulder
• 350 g raw bratwurst sausage, casings removed
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chile de árbol, or cayenne pepper
• Vegetable oil for greasing
• 4 slices sharp cheddar
• 4 pretzel buns, cut in half horizontally

Beer aioli

• 1 bottle of 0.33 l stout, room temperature
• 0.5 cups honey
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 dried ancho pepper, stem removed
• 1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Pickled red onions

• 1 and 1/4 cups malt vinegar
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

Corn relish

• 1 ear of corn, husked
• 1 poblano pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Make beer aioliIn a small saucepan, combine the stout, honey, brown sugar, ancho chili, and dried cherries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl, discarding the cherries. Let cool, then combine 1/4 cup of the liquid with mayonnaise and refrigerate until ready to use. Save any remaining mixture; it makes a great glaze for roasts.
2. Pickle red onionsIn a small saucepan, combine vinegar, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then let cool for 10 minutes. Place the red onion in a small bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over it. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the corn relish.Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Brush corn and poblanos with olive oil; cook, turning occasionally, until charred. Cut corn kernels from cob; seed and chop poblanos. Combine corn, poblanos, tomatoes, and cilantro in a bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Prepare the cutletsToast the coriander and mustard seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Grind the seeds in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle and combine with the chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Chop the reserved cherries from the beer aioli. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef and sausage with 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and the cherries by hand. Form into 4 patties, 2 cm thick. Brush the patties with vegetable oil. Sprinkle both sides with the remaining seasoning.
5. Grill the patties until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip and grill for about 4 more minutes for medium-rare. Top with a slice of cheese, cover, and grill until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Spread beer aioli on the top and bottom halves of the bun. Top the bottom half with a patty, corn relish, and pickled red onion.