Two Words: Bacon Guacamole

I thought I knew how to make good guacamole until I tried this bacon guacamole recipe. It seems like such an obvious pairing, but I’ve rarely (aside from Taco Bell) eaten bacon in Mexican dishes. I went in expecting the guac to be good, though not life-changing, but one bite rendered me speechless. The bacon and the chipotle peppers offer smoky complexity to the otherwise traditional recipe, and the flavor pounces like it’s 3D. How could I have possibly gone this long in life not making guacamole like this?! I vow that I will never leave these two ingredients out of the dip again. My work is done here. Make it to believe.

INGREDIENTS

5 strips medium-thick bacon, cooked in the oven and cooled
3 medium-large, ripe avocados, cut in half and pitted
1/2 white onion, chopped into small dice, rinsed in cold water, and drained
2 or 3 canned chipotle chilies, removed from canning sauce, stemmed, slit open, seeded, and finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped into small dice
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl, and mash. Add about 2/3 of the bacon, along with the onion, chipotle chile, tomato, and most of the cilantro (save a little for garnish if you wish). Stir gently to combine. Taste and season with lime juice and salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Garnish with remaining bacon (and cilantro), and serve with chips.