Mexican Pork Belly Sandwiches

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 425°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the lime. Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Halve the rolls. Cut off and discard the stems of the poblano peppers. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the jalapeño pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board immediately after handling the peppers. In a bowl, combine the cilantro sauce, sour cream, and the juice of 2 lime wedges.

Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. Place on a cutting board with the fat cap facing up. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.

Place the halved potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Toss to coat; arrange in an even layer on one side of the sheet pan. Place the pork belly pieces in an even layer on the other side of the sheet pan. Roast 29 to 31 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the pork belly is browned and heated through.* Remove from the oven.

*The USDA recommends reheating cooked pork to 140°F.

Meanwhile, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced poblano peppers and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Turn off the heat. Carefully add the juice of the remaining lime wedges. Stir to combine.

Assemble the sandwiches using the halved rolls, cilantro sour cream, roasted pork belly, cooked poblano peppers, monterey jack, and as much of the chopped jalapeño pepper as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be.

Carefully wipe out the pan used to cook the peppers. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium until hot. Working in batches if necessary, add the sandwiches. Place a heavy-bottomed pot (or pan) on top of the sandwiches and press down. Cook, occasionally pressing down on the pot, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil before flipping). Transfer to a cutting board; carefully halve on an angle. Serve the finished sandwiches with the roasted potatoes on the side. Garnish the potatoes with the cotija and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!