Fire-Charred Guacamole with Homemade Totopos

Method

1. Cut each tortilla into 6 triangles and spread them out in a single layer to dry for 20 min. Drier tortillas absorb less oil and fry up crisper.

   Add in this stepCorn tortillas (15 cm) 5

2. Pour the oil 2 to 3 cm deep into a completely dry, heavy 18 cm pot (never more than a third full) and heat on medium-high heat to 175 °C. Without a thermometer, it is ready when a wooden chopstick dipped in sends up a steady stream of small bubbles. Fry the tortillas a handful at a time for about 2 min 30 sec, stirring, until the bubbling calms down and they turn light golden. Lift them onto a rack and salt them while hot. Keep water away from the oil, and if it starts to smoke, turn off the heat and let it cool.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil for frying 500 mlSalt for the chips 1 pinch

   medium-high heat

3. Heat a dry cast-iron or heavy 24 cm pan on medium-high heat. Add half the onion cut into 1.5 cm thick slices, the chili, the unpeeled garlic and the whole tomato, and roast for 9 min, turning, until blackened in patches and the tomato is soft.

   Add in this stepWhite onion 20 gSerrano or jalapeño chili 1Garlic cloves, unpeeled 1Ripe tomato 90 g

   medium-high heat

4. Peel the garlic, stem the chili and roughly chop them with the charred onion. In a molcajete or bowl, grind the garlic, chili and salt first, then the charred onion and half the cilantro, and finally add the charred tomato and crush it roughly with its skin. The flecks of blistered skin bring the smoky flavour.

   Add in this stepCoarse salt ½ tspFresh cilantro 4 g

5. Scoop in the avocado and mash, leaving chunks. Finely chop the remaining raw onion and fold it in with the rest of the cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and adjust with salt or lime.

   Add in this stepRipe avocados 1½White onion 20 gFresh cilantro 4 gLime 1

6. Spoon into a bowl, crumble the queso fresco over and scatter with pomegranate seeds. Serve at once with the still-warm totopos.

   Add in this stepQueso fresco or feta 25 gPomegranate seeds 15 g