Adobo Pork Burgers with Sweet Potato Mayo, Fire-Roasted Chiles, and Jicama Slaw

Pairs well with:

White Merlot

Imagine sipping a lighter Merlot. This fresh, pale-pink wine is a nice change from traditional red or white wines.

Ingredients

For sweet potato mayo:
1 small sweet potato
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chipotles in adobo
Roasted Chiles:
2 Poblano chiles
2 Tablespoons Colavita Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lime
For the patties:
2 lb. ground pork
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chipotles in adobo
1 small Spanish onion, grated
For the Jicama Slaw:
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp honey
2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1/3 cup Colavita Olive Oil
1 jicama, grated coarsely
6 (deli style) slices pepper jack Cheese
12 slices precooked bacon
6 kaiser rolls, split

 

Instructions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high. For sweet potato mayo: Prick potatoes and rub butter all over skins. Wrap each potato in heavy aluminum foil. Grill potatoes on an uncovered grill, turning frequently, for I to 2 hours or until tender. Meanwhile, move on to preparing the other components. Once the potatoes are ready, remove from the grill, cool, peel, and mash in a bowl. Add ½ cup potato, mayonnaise, and chipotle in adobo in a large bowl. Set aside. To make the roasted peppers: Drizzle peppers with olive oil. Place peppers directly on the grill rack and roast, turning frequently, about 7-10 minutes or until softened and nicely charred. Remove the peppers, place in a heatproof plastic bag, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the bag and peel skins. Remove seeds and stems and cut into thin strips. Toss in a bowl with lime juice. Set aside. For the patties: In a large bowl, mix pork, salt, brown sugar, chipotles, and onion. Handle the meat gently to avoid over mixing. Divide the meat into six equal portions, making a small indention in the middle to prevent the burgers from bulging. Set aside. To make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine lime juice, honey, cilantro, and olive oil. Whisk to emulsify. Add about ¾ cup of the grated jicama, adjusting the amount as necessary to make sure the slaw is well coated but not soggy or over-dressed. Set aside in a cool place. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes. Turn, and grill the patties until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the patties registers 160 degrees F (for medium), about 4-8 minutes longer. During the last few minutes of cooking, top burger with a slice of pepper jack cheese and allow it to melt. Using a preheated perforated rimmed heatproof pan, heat the bacon on the pan until crispy. Place atop the melted cheese before assembling. During the last 2 minutes of grilling the patties, place the rolls, cut side down, on the grill to toast. To assemble the burgers, place a patty atop each bottom bun. Top each patty with an equally divided amount of the sliced chiles, and ¼ cup of the jicama slaw. Spread a generous amount of sweet potato mayo on the top of each bun- then top with the bun to serve. Makes 6 burgers