When you dine at James Beard nominated restaurants you taste amazing things that you might not have ever thought of before. I recently dined at Barrio Cafe Grand Reserva. The Chef is James Beard Nominated Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza and really deserves to win the award. She is among a small group of chefs in Metro Phoenix that come up with dishes from another planet delicious. One of the crazy amazing dishes I tasted was made with a delicious green sauce and was studded with fruits, chiles and ahi tuna…. I tried to remember the flavors….and put some of them into this guacamole. This guacamole taste better than it looks…My photo doesn’t pick up all the different colors it has. This guacamole is very complex with different flavors and textures in each bite. My husband didn’t expect to love it since in general he hates guacamole and avocados…..He reluctantly tried a chip with guacamole and said, “that is really good” “That really is GOOD!” and he said it a few more times….. I have to thank Fry’s supermarket for the 99 cent sale on 3lb bags of avocados.(or I wouldn’t have made guacamole)…..Of course I also have to thank the Barrio Cafe Grand Reseva for inspiring this recipe.

Ingredients for about 15 servings

9 medium avocados (about three pounds…mine were super ripe with a few brown spots I cut out…that is why they were only 99cents)

1 sweet lime – just the fresh squeezed juice (impossible to find…it taste like sweet lime-aid) sub either some lime-aid or add sugar to the juice of one lime to taste like lime-aid)

2 limes – just the fresh squeezed juice

3oz shallots – fine chopped

3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 roasted red Fresno – fine chopped – (mine was unusually hot…you can sub a jalapeño)

1/2 oz fresh cilantro – fine chopped

1/2 oz scallions – sliced thin

.03 oz fresh mint leaves – fine chopped

0.16 oz nori (one snack package of seaweed) – fine chopped

1/2 a soft ripe pear – remove skin and core – cut in small cubes about pea sized

4 chiltepin chili peppers – crush with fingers

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

finish with about a cup of pomegranate seeds

Directions

Depending on the firmest of your avocados – if very soft just scoop out. If slightly firm break up slightly…you want chunky not mush. Toss over the avocados lime juices, shallots, vinegar, Fresno, cilantro, scallions, mint, seaweed, pear and chiltepins. Stir gently. Try to keep some avocado chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste….(you don’t need much) Top with pomegranate seeds to serve.