Guacamole With A Panamanian twist
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ripe avocados
- 2 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 1 medium batata or camote (Latin America sweet potato) — see note below*
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 2 plum tomatoes, seeds removed, small diced
- 6 culantro (not cilantro) leaves, finely chopped
- 1 small scotch bonnet, finely diced (remove seeds if you prefer a milder heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bake camote at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender. Place in a bowl and let cool; peel and cut small dice. Set aside
- Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Set it aside
- Place avocados and lime juice in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, mash avocados to your liking. Chunky or creamy, whichever you prefer.
- To the bowl with the potatoes, add corn, red onion, diced tomatoes, culantro, scotch bonnet, salt, and pepper. Give it a stir. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
*Note: batata is a firm and dry sweet potato with pinkish color skin with an off-white color flesh; it remains firm after cooking. If you are unable to find batata, substitute with red Garnet or Jewel yams – 1:1. However, keep in mind that they are moist rather than dry inside, so do not overcook. The other option is to use Yukon Gold potatoes, but since they have a higher glycemic index than sweet potatoes use half the amount in the recipe – 1:1/2