Guacamole, Deconstructed: A New Way to Eat Avocados and Tortillas

by Kemp Minifie, Epicurious

Have you noticed that avocados are front and center in produce aisles right now? That's because Super Bowl Sunday is one of the two biggest days of the year for the consumption of this rich, creamy fruit (the other is Cinco de Mayo). Where would Super Bowl parties be without the requisite guacamole?

Shocking as this may sound, guacamole will be on hiatus in my home this weekend while I indulge in what I call deconstructed guacamole. Don't get me wrong; I love guac. But I'm currently enamored of the way Palo Santo, a wonderful Latino restaurant in Brooklyn, serves their avocado.
The menu simply lists tortillas and avocado, but they come to the table as a fetching pile of miniature warm corn tortillas and a plate of impossibly thin slices of avocado. What's so striking about it is that the slices are fanned so that they stand up in an undulating wall, which is then draped with sliced onion and chiles, and lubricated with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of olive oil.

Talk about a sexy snack! Just slide a few avocado slices into a folded warm corn tortilla, add some cilantro sprigs, and a few flakes of sea salt, and you'll marvel at the subtle bite to the buttery ripe fruit. It's like pommes Anna versus mashed potatoes. It's pretty darn great.

To fan the avocado yourself, quarter a perfectly ripe one lengthwise, then pit and peel it carefully (quartering makes it easier to peel). Put two halves together, cut side down on a plate, then thinly slice them. Now comes the magic: gently slide the slices into a curvy line. Bingo! Cool, huh? Garnish and sauce as you like. Keep on going with the other two quarters on another plate. You just might get hooked on fanning.

If, however, you can't bear to be without America's favorite green mash this weekend, then don't miss Sara Bonisteel's post about Rick Bayless's tips for guacamole and margaritas, nor our slideshow of jazzy jade dips. But if you're game for something new, give my deconstructed guacamole a try, and let me know what you think.

More from Epicurious:
Essential Tools for Portion Control
The Ultimate Nacho Generator for Your Superbowl Party