Recipe: Roasted Poblano Guacamole

Roasted Poblano Guacamole
with Garlic and Parsley

Guacamole de Chile Poblano Asado
Makes 2-1/2 cups
Serving 6 as an appetizer, 8 to 10 as a nibble
Contemporary

2 medium (about 6 ounces total) fresh poblano chiles
6 ounces (1 medium round or 2 plum) ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 medium-large (about 1-1/4 pounds total) ripe avocados
Salt
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons grated Mexican queso añejo or
other dry grating cheese, such as Romano or Parmesan
A few slices of radish for garnish

1. The Poblanos, Tomatoes and Garlic:
Lay the poblanos, tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet and set 4 inches below a very hot broiler. Roast, turning every couple of minutes, until the chiles and tomatoes are soft, blistered and blackened in spots and the garlic is soft, 12 to 13 minutes. Place the chiles in a bowl, cover with a towel and let stand for 5 minutes, then wipe off the blackened skin. Pull or cut out the stems, seed pods and seeds; rinse quickly to remove any stray seeds and bits of char. When the tomatoes are cool, peel off and discard their skins. Slip the papery skins off the garlic. In a mortar or with a food processor, make a coarse purée of the roasted garlic and poblanos (with both mortar and processor, it's best to start with the garlic, then add the poblanos); place in a large bowl. Chop the roasted tomatoes (for this recipe, it's best not to use any of the juice from the baking sheet) and add to the poblano mixture along with the parsley.

2. Finishing The Guacamole:
Cut the avocados lengthwise in half around the pit, twist the halves apart and remove the pits. Scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the flavorings. Using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, coarsely mash everything together. Taste and season with salt, usually a scant teaspoon, then add enough lime juice to enliven all the flavors. Cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface, and refrigerate until you're ready to eat.

To serve, scoop into a decorative bowl or Mexican mortar, sprinkle with the queso añejo and stud with radish slices.

Working Ahead:
The roasted poblanos, tomatoes and garlic can be prepared a day or so in advance, but don't purée them until you are ready to make the guacamole. It will keep for several hours tightly covered in the refrigerator; add the cheese and radish slices at the last moment.

Buy the Book!

Mexico—One Plate at a Time
By Rick Bayless
with JeanMarie Brownson & Deann Groen Bayless
Scribner, October 2000
Hardback, $35.00
368 pages, color, black & white illustrations
ISBN: 0-684-84186-X
Recipe reprinted by permission.