Chorizo Sliders with Cajun Guacamole

From: John Strumm, Left Coast Cart, Portland, Ore.

Chorizo Sliders:
10 oz. ground pork sausage
6 oz. raw chorizo
2 ½ oz. Anaheim chili pepper, finely diced
1 tbs. vegetable oil
3 1-oz. slices pepper jack cheese, each quartered
6 small green leaf lettuce leaves (or 3, halved)
6 slider buns
1 tbs. butter

Cajun Guacamole:
2 large (8 oz.) avocados, peeled and pitted
1 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. red pepper, diced
2 tbs.  green onion, sliced
2 tbs. Anaheim chili peppers, diced
1 small garlic clove, minced
Pinch of chopped thyme, as needed
Pinch of cayenne pepper, as needed
Salt and pepper to taste, as needed

For chorizo sliders: Mix the pork sausage, chorizo, and diced Anaheim peppers together. Form into six 3-oz. patties. Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Place the sliders in the skillet, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the sliders, cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until the internal temperature is 145°F.

Top each slider with two overlapping cheese slice quarters; cover and cook until cheese is melted. While the sliders are cooking, toast the buns. Heat the butter in another skillet over medium heat. Cut the slider buns in half, and toast until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

For cajun guacamole: Scoop out avocado and mash in a mixing bowl. Mix in the lime juice. Fold in remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning with salt and lime juice as needed.

To assemble: Place a piece of lettuce on each bottom bun. Place a slider on top of each lettuce leaf. Top each with approximately ¼ cup of the cajun guacamole, then the top bun.