My Famous Guacamole on Homemade Tostadas
This is my famous guacamole recipe that I have adapted over the years from an unidentifiable magazine I clipped during college. I remember vaguely an appetizer and drink party, we were to bring matching food/drink. I made this the night before, planning to bring coronas as my "match" and ended up eating the entire batch without blinking. It is impossible for this to last in our house, literally we have to hide it away so we don't eat it before guests arrive.
The best part about this recipe is that it is basically a salsa verde mixed with guac. The tomatillos make such a lovely tang with the poblanos, oh yum. I could eat more of these right now. We serve this sometimes with plantains (that my mom makes) or with chips straight out of the bag, but if you want to impress your guests even more, I have a little trick. Make some mini corn-flour tortillas and serve it on a platter with a few cherry tomatoes and feta.
I guarantee I will be deemed "guac-maker" for some upcoming family gathering this summer because of me reminding them how good this guac really is. I am relinquishing my "famous" (maybe just in my family) recipe so you too can enjoy this crazy deliciousness.
TOMATILLO POBLANO GUACAMOLE
makes about two cups
INGREDIENTS
- 2 avocados
- 1 poblano pepper
- 2 tomatillos
- 1/3 red onion
- handful cilantro
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1-2 tbs fresh lime juice
GARNISH
- cherry tomatoes
- queso fresco or feta
INSTRUCTIONS
Set your oven to broil. Cut the top off of the poblano and slice into two pieces, remove seeds and white parts and lay skin side up on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Clean off the paper from the outside of the tomatillos and cut out the top (like a tomato). Cut in half and add to baking sheet. Broil the tomatillo and poblano until poblanos are roasted and skin seems loose and bubbly, and the tomatillos are golden. Take out at separate times if needed.
When removing the poblanos, add them directly to a sliding ziplock bag and let steam for a minute. Then take out of bag and remove the skin. Chop and set aside.
Take the tomatillos and add the and the chopped garlic directly to a blender and let it go for a few seconds till the garlic is chopped and incorporated. Let cool.
Take the two avocados and decide which one is more ripe. This one you will mash up with a fork until its smooth, the other will stay a bit more chopped. (same goes if you are multiplying this recipe, it's half and half)
In a bowl with your mashed half of the guac add your tomatillo garlic mix, add your lime juice and stir together till a nice even mix. Add your second avocado that is finely chopped, and toss. Add chopped poblano meat, finely chopped red onion and rough chopped cilantro and toss together.
A little side note about these tortilla/tostadas. I like corn tortillas more than flour, I think that corn get crispier which is preferable for this recipe. I don't keep masa harina (corn flour) around as a pantry item however. I do however usually have corn meal, something easy to get at the farmers market in a state like rhode island where we like our johnny cakes (corn pancakes).
I knew this was my recipe for tortillas when I found it because it uses just pantry items I already have to get the crispy corn texture and taste that I like. Using just cornmeal wouldn't work it's too rough, and the flour helps make a nice consistent dough.
corn-flour tortillas
makes ten large or 20 small tortillas (from king arthur)
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup corn meal
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 tbs canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
In a bowl add your dry ingredients, whisk together and add your wet ingredients. Mix together and knead slightly to get dough incorporated. While the dough is wet separate out your portions.
For the size in this recipe, you should roll out the dough to be a spherical quarter. Let the dough rest for at least a half an hour before pressing.
If you have a tortilla press and grill, go ahead use it (and why are you reading this recipe??) but I use a rolling pin. When trying to get a round tortilla shape, just like in pie making ... start in the center of your dough and roll out. Flip and turn, roll from center.
With your frying pan on med-high with no oil (pref cast iron), lay the tortilla/tostada down on the pan for at least 45 seconds. I like them a little crispy so I let them go for about 75 seconds. Remove and pile together to keep warm before serving.
If you don't want to serve twenty, freeze the dough balls for later use, they will stay for a few weeks. I am sure you will have taco night between now and then lol (or at least in my house we definitely will)!