It was a happy accident that I ended up making tortilla chips on the panini maker. I was actually grilling tostadas when I noticed how crisp the tortillas got from just a little oil on both sides and 90 seconds on the grill. I essentially had one big circular chip. So I cut a tortilla down into triangles and played around with some seasonings until – voilà – I had some truly snackable, tasty homemade tortilla chips (with pretty grill marks, too!) in a matter of minutes.
Of course, then I needed a dip.
Presenting the best guacamole I’ve made to date: Grilled Tomatillo Guacamole. I finally figured out the not-so-secret ingredient that makes my favorite restaurant guac, from El Nopalito in Encinitas, especially fresh-tasting. It’s the tart, green tomatillos. I defy you to spot the tomatillos in these photos. They’re completely camouflaged amongst the avocados. But you can taste their presence in that je ne sais quois kind of way. To dial down the tartness a little and coax out the sweetness I grilled the tomatillos for just a few minutes on the panini maker before mixing them into the guacamole.
The next time you’ve got people coming over, bring out your homemade, grill marked tortilla chips and this mouthwatering tomatillo guacamole for a truly special treat.
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