At True Food Kitchen in Walnut Creek and Palo Alto, the seasonal, healthful fare revolves around nutrient-dense ingredients. So when it came to creating a guacamole, Robert McCormick, brand chef for the restaurant, and his team looked to Tuscan kale and grapefruit to pair with Hass avocados. Add in roasted, charred poblanos for a bit of smokiness and complexity and you have a popular appetizer that pairs well with the restaurant’s thin, housemade pita chips.
“Tasting delicious and well-balanced is our goal,” McCormick says. “We tend to go light on salt but if people like a bit more they can add a shake or two.”
True Food Kitchen’s Kale Guacamole
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
½ cup kale, blanched and chopped
1/3 cup roasted poblano peppers (see instructions below)
4 avocados
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1/8 cup green onion, chopped
1/3 cup orange or grapefruit segments
½ teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
Remove stems from the kale and blanch leaves in boiling, lightly salted water until tender, about 45 seconds. Shock in ice water until chilled, squeeze dry, finely mince and set aside.
Roast poblano pepper until charred on all sides. Peel skin, remove seeds and finely mince the flesh.
In a large bowl, lightly smash avocado. Mix in blanched kale, poblano, cilantro, onions,
citrus and salt until well incorporated. Serve with pita or other chips.
— Courtesy Robert McCormick, True Food Kitchen brand chef
