Tomatillo Guacamole with a Citrus Twist

  Featuring Kumquats

Guacamole adds such versatility to a Raw Fusion Lifestyle:  You can use it as salad dressing or make an impromptu meal by slicing up veggies and dip; I also use guacamole as a base for nori wraps.  There are many variations to this Mexican flavorful dish.  Whenever I eat enchiladas, I prefer the green tomatillo sauce so decided to use them in lieu of red tomatoes, as I prize their slightly sour taste.

Here in Florida it’s kumquat season and I almost went to the annual Kumquat Festival about 45 minutes from Tampa in Dade City but decided not to subject Z to crowds of over 40,000 for a fruit that he has no interest in.   Since I have been buying organic ones at my local health food store I decided to try them chopped up on avocado toast and liked that tangy sweet/sour flavor so much that next I added them to guacamole.

These tart fruits provide a burst of flavor, nutrients and beneficial essential oils because you do eat the skin on them. I was once told that to eat them au naturel you are supposed to roll them a bit between thumb and forefinger to soften the skin and release the oils.

The other “out-of-the-box” ingredient is the tomatillo  — the Mexican staple, sometimes referred to as a green tomato.  You remove the papery outer husk before using.  Personally I don’t like the skin unless they are fire roasted or blanched, so I tend to cut them in half and scoop out the insides, dicing or chopping before adding to salsa, sauces or guacamole.

Tip for Chopping Jalapenos – To avoid the burning sensation, coat your fingers with vegetable or olive oil before chopping.Tomatillo Guacamole with Kumquats

A note about the fresh garlic:  I usually find that fresh garlic overpowers guacamole so if I use it at all, it’s the organic powdered version.  This time the microplane shaved it so finely that I do appreciate the garlic flavor.

Tomatillo Guacamole with Kumquats

Ingredients:
2 Haas avocados
2 scallions, chopped (including the white part)
5-7 kumquats
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (avoiding the seeds)
2 small tomatillos
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:  Scoop avocado into a bowl and mash lightly with fork or potato masher.  Add 1/2 of the lemon juice, chopped cilantro, scallions.  Chop the kumquats by slicing first (slice off the 2 ends and discard if you prefer) and then cutting slices in smaller pieces.  Using a microplane, grate garlic to taste.  Cut the tomatillos in half and scoop out the middle portion, dicing the insides and adding to the guacamole mixture.  Salt and Pepper to taste and add more garlic and lemon juice if needed.  Add the kumquats and serve with chips, toast points, and crudites or use as a base for a wrap.  In the above photo I am serving them with South of the Border flavored flaxseed crackers.

 Photo from Flickr