Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 30 g white onion, roughly chopped
- 15 g jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh cilantro, stems and leaves chopped
- 4 g kosher salt
Grilled Corn
- 1 sweet corn on the cob, husked
- 5 ml neutral cooking oil
Guacamole Base
- 3 hass avocados, ripe
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 50 g cotija cheese, crumbled
- 2 g chili powder
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat a grill or heavy grill pan over medium-high heat, reaching approximately 200C/400F.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the husked ear of sweet corn with the neutral cooking oil.
Place the corn on the hot grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until charred spots appear on all sides and the kernels are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the corn from the heat and set it aside to cool completely so it does not melt the avocado fat later.
Once cool enough to handle, stand the corn vertically on a cutting board and slice the charred kernels off the cob.
In a mortar and pestle, combine the white onion, jalapeno pepper, fresh cilantro, and kosher salt. Pound the mixture firmly using a circular grinding motion until it forms a wet, fragrant paste.
Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and score the flesh with a knife. Scoop the scored flesh directly into the mortar containing the aromatic paste.
Using a spoon or the pestle, gently crush and mash the avocado into the paste, stopping while there are still distinct, chunky pieces of avocado remaining.
Gently fold in the cooled charred corn kernels, fresh lime juice, and about 40g of the crumbled Cotija cheese, reserving a small amount of cheese for the final presentation.
Transfer the guacamole to a serving bowl. Garnish with the reserved Cotija cheese and a dusting of chili powder if desired, then serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pounding the aromatics (onion, chili, cilantro) with salt breaks down cell walls, releasing vibrant essential oils that simply chopping cannot achieve.
- Allow the charred corn to cool completely before folding it into the avocado to prevent the heat from melting the fat and ruining the guacamole's texture.
- Cotija is a salty cheese; taste your guacamole before adding any extra salt beyond what is used to pound the aromatics.
- If a mortar and pestle are unavailable, mince the aromatics finely, sprinkle with the salt, and use the flat side of a chef's knife to scrape and mash them into a paste directly on your cutting board.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation.
