Monterey Jack Beyond Burger™

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the carrots and grate on the large side of a box grater. Cut out and discard the core of the cabbage; thinly slice the leaves. Thinly slice the cheese. Halve the buns. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the poblano pepper; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the jalapeño pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handing the peppers. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the grated carrots and sliced cabbage; season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced poblano pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Add as much of the chopped jalapeño pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip (carefully, as the oil may splatter) and top with the sliced cheese. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the patties are browned and cooked through* (the center will still be red or pink). Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan. 

Add the 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, guacamole, cooked patties, and cooked peppers. Serve the burgers with the slaw on the side. Enjoy!