Every time I go home to Monterrey one of my highlights is getting together with my cousin Geral Derby. She is also a Chef and when we are together we have so much fun because we love cooking together and of course eating together! We talk about food non-stop and compare and share recipes. The best kind of fun for us who love to cook!
I visited Geral in her home and she made this recipe that I am sharing with you today. Picking the tiny but fiery piquín chiles right from her plant outside is where we started and it only got exceptional from there. Chile Piquín is the jewel of the North, and it is our pride and joy. If you have a salsa in Monterrey, chances are it will have chile piquín. It is very spicy and not available fresh to us up North, but dried is readily available, so go ahead and use dried if you decide to make this recipe (and I really think you must!).
The recipe starts by making a loose aioli with the softened chiles and garlic. I encourage you to make this in the molcajete or mortar and pestle, as you will have the best results, but if you don’t have one, you could emulsify the aioli in a blender and then carry on. Use a neutral flavoured oil here - olive oil would be too strong for this recipe. Grapeseed or avocado oil are great choices. In Mexico, jocoque is a type of yogurt that is hard to find in Canada but Balkan Style yogurt or even Greek yogurt would work fine. The guacamole by itself is amazingly delicious, but if you can find pork chicharrón, then use that for the topping. It makes outrageously delicious tacos. If you can’t buy it where you are, I have a recipe to make it from pork belly, check it out here.
This recipe is a great starter for your next party. Pair it with Hibiscus Mezcalinas like Geral made for me that day and you will be happy indeed!
Guacamole con Aioli de Chile Piquín y Chicharrón de Puerco
Guacamole with Piquín Chile Aioli and Pork Chicharrón
1 Tbsp fresh or dried chile piquín (or more if you really want things spicy)
4-5 garlic cloves (3 if they are large), halved lenghtwise
1/3-1/2 cup grapeseed or avocado oil, divided
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 large lime
3 ripe avocados
1/2-2/3 cup jocoque or plain yogurt
1 cup chopped warm chicharrón
In small frying pan, heat up 1 Tbsp oil and cook chiles and garlic over medium heat only until softened (be careful if you’re using very fresh chiles as they may splatter). Once they are soft (but not brown) transfer everything to a mortar and pestle.
Start pounding the chiles and garlic and add some salt. Continue until you have a smooth paste. Add lime juice and continue to pound as you start drizzling in oil as you stir. Add only enough oil to emulsify the mixture, the texture will be like salad dressing.
Add the cubed avocados and start mashing using a potato masher or a fork. I like the texture to be a bit chunky, but you decide what you like. Add yogurt and stir. Adjust seasoning and serve with diced chicharrón and tortillas. You don’t really need salsa as you have piquín chile within the guacamole, but if you want more, go ahead and serve with your favourite salsa.
Serves 6 as a starter.