Guacamole & Monterey Jack Burgers

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch-wide wedges. Line a sheet pan with foil. Transfer the sweet potato wedges to the foil; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and enough of the spice blend to coat (you may have extra). Toss to coat; arrange in an even layer. Roast 28 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.  

Meanwhile, halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Halve the buns. Quarter the lime. In a bowl, combine the sour cream and the juice of 2 lime wedges; season with salt and pepper. Cut off and discard the stems of the poblano peppers. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then thinly slice crosswise. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board immediately after handling.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced onion and sliced peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the guajillo chile sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are coated. Transfer to a bowl. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

Place the beef in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gently mix to incorporate. Form the mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip the patties (carefully, as the oil may splatter) and evenly top with the monterey jack. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the patties are browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a work surface. Carefully drain off and discard any excess oil. 

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 160°F for beef.

Working in batches, add the halved buns, cut side down, to the pan of reserved fond. Toast on medium-high 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface. Assemble the burgers using the toasted buns, cooked patties, guacamole, glazed vegetables, crispy onions, and as much of the jalapeño pepper as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Serve the burgers with the roasted sweet potatoes and lime sour cream on the side. Garnish the sweet potatoes with the cotija. Serve the remaining lime wedges on the side, if you'd like. Enjoy!