Guacamole & Tortilla chips
(Serves six guest)
A great side dish or snack for every BBQ dinner! I love making this dish in front of my guest when they arrive, as it’s inviting, easy to prepare and fun to make.
Always make this fresh just before serving. Allow it to come to room temperature if you serve this dish out of the fridge because it tastes so much better.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Ripe Hass Avocados
- Zest and juice of one lime
- Roots and stems of one bunch coriander
- ½ to 1 Jalapeno chili (depending on how spicy they are)
- 1/4 shallot
- ½ clove fresh garlic
- 2 tsp Grey sea salt or Kosher salt
- Pinch of Chipotle powder
METHOD
1. Wash the stems and roots of the coriander thoroughly in water to insure that no sand remains and pat dry with kitchen towel.
2. Cut the jalapeno in half length-wise and remove the stem and seeds.
3. On a cutting board place the shallot, jalapeno, coriander and garlic. Sprinkle the salt on the aromatics while they’re still on the cutting board. With a sharp French knife, chop all the aromatics and salt together till they’re well mixed and have reached a fairly fine consistency and the ingredients starts to macerate.
4. Remove the pits from the avocados, reserving at least one pit, and add all the avocado meat to a large mixing bowl.
5. Use a fork to mash the avocado down to the desired consistency – a good guacamole should be nice and chunky. Now gently fold in the aromatics, lime juice and lime zest. Add more salt and lime juice to taste.
6. To store, place an avocado pit in your container or bowl, and add the guacamole over top. The pit will prevent browning. Also place plastic wrap directly on the top of the guacamole mixture before lidding tightly.
7. Garnish with some fresh coriander leaves
SWEET MESQUITE TORTILLA CHIPS
Fried Tortillas
- Pack of 12 fresh soft shells corn tortillas 6inch in diameter
- 2 L canola or peanut oil
- 2 Tbsp. Cottage Life sweet mesquite spice rub
- Kosher salt
METHOD
1. In a large sauce pot heat up the oil to 350 F.
2. Cut the tortillas into six wedges
3. Fry the tortillas in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown. Using a kitchen spider, remove the tortillas from the hot oil and place on a tray layered with a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
4. While hot, dust the tortillas with the mesquite spice rub immediately and add a pinch of kosher salt
Frozen S’mores
(makes 12 pieces)
This dessert requires some technical skill and may take one or two tries to get it right. But don’t be discouraged! It will be worth it to see your guests wowed over such a fun-loving sentimental treat that will bring them back to youthful days over the campfire! The hidden elements of chocolate and graham inside the toasted marshmallow will be sure to please.
Special tools you will need:
- A silicone ice cube mold. Makes 12 rectangles (6.5 cm by 4.5 cm by 4.5cm)
- Candy thermometer
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Disposable plastic uncut piping bags
- 12 wooden skewers or lollipop sticks
- Blowtorch
- PAM spray
INGREDIENTS
For the Ganache
- 20g butter
- 60g glucose
- 300g 35% cream
- 400g semi-sweet chocolate
- 3g salt
- ¼ cup crushed graham crackers
For the Marshmallow
- 3 Tbsp powdered gelatin in 100g water OR 12 sheets gelatin bloomed
- 410g granulated sugar
- 200g light corn syrup
- 65g honey
- 100g water
- Extra Graham crackers cut into small 1cm by 2cm pieces.
METHOD
Chocolate Ganache
1. Measure out the chocolate and salt in a bowl and set aside
2. Crush the graham crackers and set aside
3. In a small pot bring to a scald the 35% cream, glucose and butter
4. Once cream is hot, pour on top of the chocolate and let rest for approximately 20 seconds before stirring with a whisk. Stir until combined.
5. Add the crushed graham once the ganache has cooled
Homemade Marshmallow
1. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the 100g of water in a small bowl. Stir and let sit for about 20 minutes to bloom. If using gelatin sheets, put the sheets in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
2. In a pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey and water. Bring to a boil until it reaches 121 degrees on a thermometer. Do not stir.
3. Transfer the gelatin water mixture into a stand up mixer. If using the gelatin sheets, wring out the water and transfer to the stand up mixer.
4. Carefully pour the hot syrup into the stand mixer fitted with a whisk.
Whip on low speed until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Increase the speed to high and continue to whip for 5-6 minutes. The syrup will turn white and quadruple in volume. When the marshmallow is firm enough to hold a medium stiff peak, stop whipping
5. Using a rubber spatula, place a large scoop of marshmallow into a piping bag so that it is 1/3 full. Push the marshmallow down to the tip of the bag. Cut an opening about 1cm wide straight across the tip of the bag.
6. Fill another piping bag with the prepared cooled graham cracker ganache
7. While the marshmallow is still warm, fill the PAM sprayed rectangular molds half way. Once all 12 are filled to the half way mark, pipe the chocolate ganache into the center of the marshmallow, being sure not to pipe onto the sides of the mold.
8. place a piece of graham cracker close to the center but not directly in the center of the marshmallow. Pipe more marshmallow to cover the tops.
9. Insert a wooden skewer directly into the center of the marshmallow and place the mold into the freezer on a level surface. Let stand for minimum 3 hours - even better over night.
10. To finish, take out the mold from the freezer and pop out each s’mores. Hold the tip of a blowtorch 3 to 4 inches away from the s’mores and brulee the entire surface of the marshmallow.
11. Serve immediately and enjoy!
