National Spicy Guacamole Day is this Saturday, November 14 (so much better—spicier!—than regular ole Guacamole Day, which occurred September 16) and local Mexican cantinas have taken this party food staple to the next level, adding crab meat, grilled shrimp, fruit, quinoa, and other ingredients. Try it dining out or make it at home via these recipes that Sonora Restaurant generously shared.
Sonora’s Chef Rafael Palomino serves a festive fusion of inspired Nuevo Latino cuisine including artistic tapas, entrées, and cocktails. His variations of guacamole include chorizo, mango and pomegranate, quinoa, crab meat, and fruit.
Before making any of the following three recipes, keep these helpful tips in mind:
• The flavor of guacamole is enhanced if muddled on a molcajete—aka a volcanic rock mortar and pestle
• Guacamole tastes best if made from ripe Hass avocados. Ones that are too green make guacamole taste bitter, and overly ripe avocados give guacamole a sour taste.
• If wanting a little more spice, add diced jalapeno
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Guacamole Delight with Quinoa
(Courtesy Chef Rafael Palomino, Sonora, Port Chester)
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp freshly grated lime zest
1 oz of fresh lime juice
1 avocado cut up into cubes
1 diced plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
salt and black pepper
Directions:
Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Add the quinoa and four cups of water to a medium saucepan. Bring the quinoa to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes (uncovered) or until the germ ring is visible (indicating the quinoa is cooked). Drain and transfer the quinoa to a large bowl to cool.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and mash with a whisk.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Fold quinoa into avocado, mix gently until the quinoa is thoroughly mixed with the guacamole.
Serve with asparagus, carrots, green apples, and seasonal crudités.
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Crabmeat Guacamole
(Courtesy Chef Rafael Palomino, Sonora, Port Chester)
Ingredients:
1 cup of crab meat (or lobster)
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 oz of fresh lime juice
1 avocado
1 diced plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mash them with a whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with yellow corn chips.
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Fruit Guacamole
(Courtesy Chef Rafael Palomino, Sonora, Port Chester)
A little known fact about avocados is that they are actually regarded as a berry. With an avocado broadly being defined as a fruit, Palomino was inspired to concoct his own fruit guacamole.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 avocado
1 diced plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup diced mango
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except for mango and pomegranate in a mixing bowl and mash them with a whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Gently fold in pomegranate seeds and mango until thoroughly mixed into the guacamole.
Serve with green plantain chips.
Sonora
179 Rectory St
Port Chester
(914) 933-0200
www.sonorarestaurant.net
