Entertaining
Botanero Guac
There are Mexican guacamoles of all kinds. They all speak of eating, sharing and having good times with family and friends. This guacamole botanero, however, seems to especially call for leisurely long gatherings.
Botana translates to snack. When you refer to something as botanero it means it is the perfect snack for guests to open up their appetites, not only for more food, but also for great conversation and really good times, without a hurry to get anywhere afterwards.
Crunchy-coated peanuts smothered in a chile mix that is both punchy and savory is a revered botana in Mexico. In this recipe, I toss my version of that addicting peanut mix into a chunky guac.
It is a big hit when my husband and boys invite friends over to watch a game. They find the crunch and the mix of flavors irresistible.
Tip: Make it! But make a double batch, as one doesn’t last long.
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 2 guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, sliced into ¼” rings
- 8 scallions, roots and ends discarded, white and light green parts sliced into ¼” rounds
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, meat scooped out and diced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
- 1 cup peeled, cored and diced pineapple
- 1 cup peeled and diced jícama
- ½ cup Japanese-style peanuts (or coated and crunchy peanuts of your choice)
To Prepare
Set a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in the oil and let it heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Once it is hot, add the guajillo chiles and let them cook gently, for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until they look a bit crisp and their color has changed. Add the scallions, mix with the chiles and the by now flavored oil, and cook for another couple minutes, until the scallions begin to wilt. Incorporate the sesame seeds, mix again, and cook for another couple minutes until seeds have begun to brown lightly. Turn off the heat and scrape into a small bowl.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the avocado, lime juice and salt, and gently mash and mix with a fork. Incorporate the pineapple, jícama and Japanese-style peanuts. Scrape the avocado mix onto a serving bowl and spoon the guajillo chile, scallion and sesame seed mixture all over the top.
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