Spicy Guacamole

Today is Cinco de Mayo. Some years ago on Cinco de Mayo we shared our favorite traditional guacamole recipe with our chums. Today we have a new one to share. A spicy guacamole known as Guacamole Con Chiles Toreados.

This came directly from one of our favorite Mexican cooks Pati Jinich, who has a wonderful cooking show on PBS and a fabulous website with great authentic and simple Mexican recipes, www.patijinich.com and an Instagram at @patijonich.

This recipe we are sharing today for Cinco de Mayo was one she made and shared on Instagram. We made it exactly as she did and it was a hit!!!. Its simply made with simple ingredients. Whether you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo or not, we think you should give this a try. We are pretty sure it will make you want to celebrate something 🙂

Guacamole Con Chiles Toreandos

The title of this is taken from the idea that in order to make this you have to fire up the chiles like toreandos, or bullfighters. It’s a kind of play on words. If you happen to have a mortar and pestle, use it, it is a great way to make this, to muddle all the ingredients together. If you don’t have one just use a potato masher and mash up all the ingredients together.

3 ripe avocados
3 jalapeno chiles
1 handful of chopped cilantro
1 bunch of spring (green) onions
1/3 cup soy sauce (we use gluten free)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
salt to taste
Cotija cheese

Start by rolling the chiles back and forth under the palm of your hand. As you do this you will feel (and hear) the veins inside the chile cracking and breaking down. This is what you want. Next place the chiles and spring onions on the very hot surface of the pan you are using to roast the vegetables. If you have a comal, use it. (A comal is a round griddle that you find in every Mexican kitchen to roast vegetables or to cook or warm tortillas, or make quesadillas. If you enjoy making and eating those things, you might want to pick up a comal or order one from Amazon.com) If you don’t have a comal or griddle use a heavy skillet. Keep turning the vegetables every few minutes. The chiles and spring onions are done when they are charred on all sides.

Once they are charred, remove them and place on a cutting board to allow them to cool enough so you can handle them. While they are cooling measure the 1/3 cup soy sauce and squeeze the 1/3 cup lime juice and mix together. Once cooled, cut the chiles in chunks, about 1/3″ or 1/2″ pieces. Do the same with the onions. Allow this to sit for at least 10 minutes before continuing so that the flavors can meld together and blend.

After 10 minutes, put the chopped cilantro in the mortar or bowl you are using. Use a fork to get the chiles and onions from the soy sauce/lime juice mixture, so that most of the liquid drains off, then add the chiles and onions to the cilantro. Cut and scoop out the meat of the avocado and add to the vegetables. Sprinkle with sea or kosher salt. Mash everything together with the pestle or potato masher until well blended. Top with grated cotija cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

This can be an appetizer, a snack, or frankly a whole meal if you decide to make it so. We think you will enjoy this as much as we did and that you’ll feel like celebrating….Cinco de Mayo….or maybe, just the fact that its Tuesday!