Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for “Fifth of May” and is the date on which the Mexican Army defeated the French forces at the Battle of Puebla. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has now become a day to celebrate Mexican-American culture – and what better way to celebrate than with Mexican food?!
This Bacon Guacamole Recipe is one of my favourite recipes and, with the imminent avocado shortage dominating this week’s headlines, I figured we should make the most of the mighty avocado while they are still available. No avocados??? Forget Brexit, having to survive without avocado is a middle-class crisis about to happen!
So let’s celebrate the avocado properly and in the way it deserves. Guacamole is a Mexican classic and so much more exciting than boring avocado toast, and way more satisfying than Kourtney Kardashian’s Avocado Pudding recipe that we all overdosed on last year.
I got the inspiration for this delicious dish from Dos Caminos a lively Mexican restaurant in New York – and the location of my first ever date with my husband. They serve up the best guacamole ever, which is mostly due to a rather genius addition – BACON! What doesn’t taste better with bacon, right?!!
But Guacamole is not a solo dish, it needs a partner in food crime so it can be scooped up and enjoyed in all of its’ delicious glory. This is where my second bolt of food genius strikes – Mexico, a restaurant right here in Seattle, serves their guacamole with a garnish of plantain chips. So I figured, why not trade in conventional corn tortilla chips and pimp up our guac’ dip with baked plantain chips – winner, winner, Cinco de Mayo dinner!
So here it is the best Guacamole recipe you’ll ever find, anywhere, ever… my ever so easy Bacon Guacamole and Plantain Chips Recipe.
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.
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 