Today I am feeling sorry for myself, because today I am feeling poorly. And I can’t even call upon my husband to fetch me mugs of hot tea and toast with a large slice of sympathy, because he too is feeling “under the weather“.
You see, Saturday nights are reserved for “date night”, but Thursday night’s have become “Happy Thursday”, when we celebrate the many ‘happy hours’ offered in the bars and restaurants around us – and it doesn’t seem fair to restrict our custom to just one or two bars – you gotta support local, right?!!!
So yes, today we are suffering from a bout of self-induced “brown bottle flu” and there is almost nothing that could move me from my spot on the couch today, nothing that is, apart from a huge bowl of Guacamole and Plantain Chips – the perfect hangover recovery food!
I got the inspiration for this delicious recipe from two different Mexican restaurants – ‘Dos Caminos’ in New York and ‘Mexico’ right here in Seattle. Dos Caminos serves up the best guacamole ever, mostly due to the addition of a rather genius addition – BACON! – and bacon simply makes everything better, doesn’t it?!!! On the other hand, Mexico serves their guacamole with a garnish of plantain chips, alongside their home-made tortilla chips. So I figured, why not combine the two and trade conventional tortilla chips for tastier baked plantain chips – it’s gotta be healthier too!
So here it is, get ready to be swept off your feet (or move from the sofa in my case!) with this tasty Bacon Guacamole and Plantain Chips recipe – not only great for a hang-over, they also make a great pre-dinner appetiser, or party food!
To make the guacamole, first fry the bacon strips over a medium heat, until they get all yummy and crispy (approximately 8 to 10 minutes). Set the cooked bacon strips aside on a paper lined plate to drain off any excess fat.
Halve and pit the avocados, then scoop them into a bowl with the lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Mash it all up with a fork or mini masher to your preferred consistency – some like it smooth, but I like to keep it a little rustic and a bit chunky. Setting aside a few pieces of tomato for the garnish, add the red onions, pickled jalapenos and tomatoes to the guacamole.
Crumble the bacon into the bowl, saving a spoonful for the garnish, and stir together. Finally garnish your bacon guacamole with the remaining tomato, onion and bacon pieces. Cover and put in the fridge while you make the plantain chips.
To make the plantain chips you’ll first need to pre-heat the oven to 400ºF. Then line a cookie sheet with a non-stick baking mat.
Prepare the plantain by chopping off the ends and then peeling off the skin. Plantain is much harder to peel than a regular banana, so you’ll need to use a paring knife. Then slice the plantain into uniform diagonal chips.
In a small bowl, toss the plantain slices with the olive oil and seasonings until evenly coated. Then spread the chips out on the baking mat in a single layer.
Bake them for 8-10 minutes per side, or until they turn all brown and crispy – nom nom nom!
Serve the hot plantain chips immediately with the bacon guacamole – enjoy!
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Bacon Guacamole & Plantain Chips Recipe
Ingredients:
Bacon Guacamole:
4 Bacon Strips
2 Avocados
½ Small Red Onion, Finely Chopped
2-4 Tbsp Pickled Jalapeno Slices, Drained & Chopped
1 Plum Tomoto, Seeded & Chopped
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
½ Tsp Ground Cumin
Salt & Pepper, to season
Plantain Chips:
1 Green Plantain
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Tsp Chili Powder
¼ Tsp Garlic Salt
¼ Tsp Ground Cumin
1⁄8 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ Tsp Salt
Instructions:
To make the Bacon Guacamole:
Fry the bacon strips in a large skillet over a medium heat, until crispy (approximately 8 to 10 minutes). Set aside on a paper lined plate to drain off excess fat.
Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop the avocado into a medium bowl and add the lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until combined but still a bit chunky. Add the red onions, pickled jalapenos and tomatoes, reserving a few pieces of tomato for garnish.
Crumble the bacon into the bowl, saving a spoonful for garnish, and stir together to combine.
Garnish with the remaining tomato, onion and bacon pieces.
To make the Plantain Chips:
First pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
Line a cookie sheet with a non-stick baking mat.
Chop the ends from the plantain and peel off the skin using a paring knife.
Slice the plantain diagonally and as thinly and uniformly as possible.
In a small bowl, toss the plantain slices with the olive oil and seasonings until evenly coated.
Spread the plantain chips out on the baking mat in a single layer.
Bake 8-10 minutes per side, or until browned and crispy.
Arugula & Rocket 
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