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James's Shrimp Burger With Pancetta

    
    Mayonnaise:
    
    1/2-cup mayonnaise
    2 tablespoons prepared chile sauce
    Kosher or coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    
    Burgers:
    
    1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels*
    1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
    2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    2 pounds raw shrimp (any size), peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped
    3 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomatoes (blotted if packed in oil, or rehydrated, drained and blotted if dry packed)
    1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
    
    Additional elements:
    
    6 thinly sliced rounds of pancetta (bacon can be substituted)
    Grapeseed or other flavorless oil
    Unsalted butter, softened
    6 challa or egg bread rolls, split
    Butter lettuce, washed and dried
    6 (1/8-inch-thick) slices beefsteak or other large tomatoes, sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste
    12 thin slices avocado (peel and slice at last minute to prevent it from turning brown), sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste
    
    In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, chile sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill (can be prepared one day in advance). In large bowl of food processor, process 3/4-cup corn with horseradish, salt, pepper, until fairly smooth. Add one-third of the shrimp and blend until smooth. Remove mixture to a large bowl (chilled, preferably). Fold in the remaining corn, chopped shrimp, sun-dried tomato and tarragon. Shape mixture into six patties (about 3/4- to 1-inch thick). Chill 30 minutes to three hours. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling. Place cast-iron or other heavy-duty skillet on medium-hot grill and cook pancetta until golden brown and crisp; drain on paper towels. Generously brush both sides of patties with grapeseed oil and brush grill with oil. Cook patties, turning once, until cooked through (they are very delicate, turn carefully), 5 to 6 minutes per side. Butter and grill split rolls. Spread mayonnaise on both sides of rolls; layer on lettuce, tomato, avocado, burger and pancetta to serve.
    
    * When cutting corn from cob, be sure to scrape cob with the back of knife after cutting off kernels to extract the “corn milk.”