Recipe: Colorado lamb sliders for the Super Bowl

(Photo: CPR/Jay Keller)

Colorado lamb sliders with pepper jack cheese and green chile pesto

• 1 lb ground Colorado lamb
• 16 slices of pepper jack cheese (cut to fit onto a slider)
• 16 slider buns
• 3 Anaheim chilies
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• ¼ cup cotija cheese* or parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• Sea salt
• Fresh black pepper

Directions:

Divide ground lamb into eight 2 oz. portions and form into mini hamburgers.  Set aside.

Coat chilies in canola oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast chilies on a hot grill or under broiler until “charred.”  Place in a container with a lid and let stand 20-30 minutes so the chilies can “steam.”  (If your skin is sensitive please use gloves.)

Peel the skin from the chilies, de-stem and remove the seeds.  Rough chop chilies and garlic.

Place chilies, garlic, cotija cheese, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil in a blender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Blend until mixture is smooth.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Set pesto aside.

Butter both sides of the slider buns and toast on a flat or a grill.

Season lamb with salt and pepper.  Cook lamb on a flat top or grill to desired temperature.  Place pepper jack on the lamb to melt.

Put the lamb sliders on the bottom bun and place equal amount of pesto on each one. Put the top bun on and serve.