Autumn Guacamole for a crowd

GUACAMOLE WITH GRANADAS

3 cloves of garlic, roasted on a comal with their skins on
8 jalapenos, roasted on a comal
8-10 avocados
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 white onion, finely chopped
1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 pomegranate, seeds


Remove the skins from the garlic. De-seed the jalapenos and chop. Add the garlic, chopped jalapenos, 1/2 the cilantro and 1/3 onion to the molcajete. Grind to a paste.


Add the juice of the lime and the rest of the cilantro. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. Add one pit to the molcajete. Score the flesh of the avocados with a knife in large sections, remove with a spoon and add to the paste. Add the salt and 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds. Gently mix to maintain some of the avocado chunks.


Garnish the top with the rest of the pomegranate seeds and onions.


NOTE: Jalapenos vary in their hotness. You may want to roast extra in case more are needed. It is always a good idea to remove a little of the jalapeno paste from the molcajete before you add the rest of the ingredients and add as needed to acquire your level of hotness.  You can always add more heat!

What's a "Comal"? 
A comal is Mexican griddle in which ingredients are cooked or roasted. It is a thin disk of varying sizes made of unglazed earthenware or a light metal. A cast iron skillet can be substituted. Lightly wipe the surface with a little vegetable oil before roasting.

The avocado was first cultivated in southern Mexico and there twelve different varieties in Mexico. On my Artisan & Architecture tour that is coming up in February, we will be in the avocado capital of the world in the state of Michoacan.  The Michoacan variety is referred to as blancos.  The skin turns black when ripe and the flesh is more compact and oily.  They are quite delicious. 

In 1515, the Aztec emperor Montezuma presented avocados to Hernando Cortez.

The avocado is rich in non saturated oils, vitamin A, B & E and is cholesterol free.

I have another one of my groups arriving next week.  The first night that they are in San Miguel de Allende, they will be treated to a welcome reception and dinner at my casa and I will be serving them my special guacamole as one of the tapas.

Buen Provecho!