Mexican-American Tostones with Nightshade-Free Guacamole
Tostones con Guacamole Sin Tomate·(tos-TOH-nes kon gwa-ka-MO-le sin to-MA-te)
SNACKS
This isn't the jalapeño-laced guacamole of a Oaxaca street cart, but when you are deep in the elimination phase, the craving for dense, salty fats and loud, crispy textures is visceral, making the most painful loss on a Wednesday evening the simple, thoughtless crunch of a tortilla chip plunged into a bowl of guacamole. By swapping corn chips for twice-fried green plantains—a cornerstone of Afro-Mexican and coastal Veracruz cuisines—and meticulously rebuilding the guacamole using minced radish for a sharp, peppery bite without the nightshade penalty, you can multitask the plantain fry and the avocado mash to get this from the cutting board to the couch in exactly ten minutes of active work. Don't apologize for the fat; smash the plantains flat with the bottom of a heavy glass, salt them while the hot oil hisses, and eat.
Ingredients
- green plantains2 large
- avocado oil1/3 cup
- flaky sea salt1 tsp
- ripe avocados2 large
- red onion1/4 cup
- radishes3 med
- fresh cilantro leaves and stems1/4 cup
- fresh lime juice2 tbsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Get the plantains frying.
Heat the avocado oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat. Carefully place the sliced plantains into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes per side, until they are pale gold and yield slightly when poked with a fork.
- 02
Build the guacamole while the plantains fry.
Scoop the avocado flesh into a mixing bowl alongside the minced red onion, radishes, cilantro, lime juice, and fine sea salt. Using a sturdy fork, mash the mixture together, leaving it slightly chunky—a food processor will ruin the rustic texture.
- 03
Smash and crisp the tostones.
Transfer the softened plantains from the skillet to a cutting board, leaving the heat on. Using the flat bottom of a heavy mug or a sturdy glass, firmly press down on each round to smash it into a flat, 1/4-inch thick disc. Return the smashed plantains to the hot oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side until deeply golden, dehydrated, and aggressively crispy.
- 04
Salt and serve immediately.
Transfer the tostones to a paper towel-lined plate to briefly drain, showering them with flaky sea salt while the oil is still hot. Serve immediately alongside the vibrant radish guacamole.
Notes
Why this swap? Radish for Jalapeño.
Traditional Mexican guacamole often relies on jalapeños or serrano peppers for heat, and tomatoes for sweetness. Since all peppers and tomatoes are nightshades (and thus strictly prohibited during the AIP elimination phase), we use finely minced fresh radish. Radishes belong to the compliant brassica family and provide a sharp, peppery, enzymatic bite that brilliantly mimics the structural crunch and mild heat of raw chiles.
Why this swap? Tostones for Tortilla Chips.
Corn is a grain, making standard totopos (tortilla chips) off-limits. Green plantains offer an incredibly dense source of resistant starch that, when twice-fried, perfectly replicates the mechanical crunch and scoopability of a standard chip.
Sourcing the Plantains.
For tostones to work, the plantains must be rock-hard and completely green. If the peel has yellowed even slightly, the starches have begun converting to sugars. A yellow plantain will burn in the hot oil before it crisps, leaving you with a sweet, soggy mess instead of a savory chip.
Label Check: Avocado Oil.
Avocado oil is explicitly recommended here because it has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor that won't overpower the plantain. Verify the label to ensure it is 100 percent pure avocado oil, not blended with non-compliant, pro-inflammatory seed oils like canola or safflower.
From AIP 10 Minute Meals.