Spicy Three-Chile Guacamole

Directions

Set your oven’s broiler or your grill’s searing compartment to high. Roast the peppers for 7-8 minutes until the skins are charred and blistered, turning the peppers as they begin to shake, and the seeds inside make snapping noises.

Once the peppers have been charred, remove them from the heat. Put the peppers into a shallow dish or bowl and cover them with a towel to steam. After the peppers steam, their skins are easy to remove. Use the back of your knife to scrape the charred, papery skins from the peppers, then discard.

Once the skins have been removed, slice off the stem end of each pepper. Cut the poblano and jalapeños in half lengthwise, then scrape away the white membrane and the seeds with the back side of your knife . Because serrano peppers are so skinny, rather than slice them in half, use the back of your knife blade and drag it down the length of the pepper to push the seeds out from the cut end. Dice the peppers into 1/4-inch pieces.

Cut the avocados in half and remove, then discard the pits. Scoop the avocado flesh into the mixing bowl and use a fork or potato masher to smash the avocado into a semi-chunky paste. Gently stir in the lime juice to help delay the browning of the avocado. Try to avoid stirring too much as it will break up the avocado.

Fold in the chiles, red onion, cilantro, cumin, and salt until the ingredients are well incorporated. Taste the guacamole and adjust the salt to suit your preference.

Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the guacamole and cover your bowl with a lid. Refrigerate the guacamole for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors of the chiles and the cumin to meld and deepen. Enjoy the guacamole within 3 days. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. If the guacamole browns, scrape off the brown layer and discard before serving.