Masa Fries with Spicy Avocado Crema

Masa fries are basically a tamale minus all the work. They are crispy on the outside and perfect for dunking into salsa or topping with some spicy chorizo. I prefer masa fries with a bunch of pico de gallo and a good drizzle of spicy avocado crema. Masa fries are a shareable tamale that is versatile as far as toppings goes.

Alright, on to week two of spring break nonsense. This week it is Andy’s turn to stay home, watch tv all day long, and tell me he is bored all day long. Not saying that is what Mike did last week, but there were some days that involved 1 to 3 of those things. Love you, Mike.

Last week Mike and I did the 30 year-old version of spring break. We spent too much money, ate too much, drank too much, and stayed up maybe an hour past our normal bed times. On paper, when you list it out like that, 30 year-old spring break doesn’t sound that much different than spring break in your 20’s.

Add in the kids and about 10 extra pounds, subtract a bikini, add in a dad swim shirt, and now we are talking. Hmm. Math. Still useful after all these years and career changes.

Anywho. We ate a lot of food. Mainly because I used the excuse of mike being home all day to get stuff done!

Not only was I cooking dinner most nights, I was working ahead on blog recipes for you guys! It was nice to get a teensy bit more done than I usually do. Granted, I still had the random, “Mom can only solve this problem” issues interrupt my flow.

Still, not as bad as it normally is. And by “bad” I just mean that man-to-man is a lot easier to run than a 2-1 zone coverage. These toddlers got me beat most days.

Mike got to be there for the second round of masa fries. Round one was not too good. It needed some cheese and seasoning. I really wanted to make sure you weren’t just biting into a rectangle of dry cornmeal, because nobody wants that!

Masa fries are filled with queso fresco, chili powder and lime zest. They really pop when you bite into them. I crisped the masa fries up in some brown butter for an extra level of flavor. You’re going to love these whether you put avocado cucumber salsa, pico de gallo, or salsa verde guac on top.

Now, say a prayer for me as I continue with Andy’s pants-free Power-Ranger-pa-looza spring break.

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Masa Fries with Spicy Avocado Crema

Crispy and creamy masa fries topped with spicy avocado crema drizzle.

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes

Servings 10 -12 Pieces

Ingredients

For the Fries:

• 2 Cups Masa de Harina
• 1 1/8 1/2 Cups Water
• 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• Zest of 1 Lime
• 1/2 Cup Crumbled Queso Fresco
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon Canola or Grapeseed Oil

For the Crema:

• 1/2 Avocado
• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 3-6 Pickled Jalapeño Slices depending on how spicy you like things
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper

Instructions

1. The night before or at least 3 hours before you plan on serving masa fries, combine the masa, chili powder, lime zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix in about 1 cup of water. Add 1/8 cup of water at a time until the mixture can be formed into a slightly wet but not sticky ball of dough.
2. Add the queso fresco and work it into the mixture with your hands.
3. Line a 5x7-inch pyrex dish with a little bit of plastic wrap. Press the masa fry mixture into the lined dish. Make sure the masa mixture gets into all the corners and is in one even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours for best results, overnight.
4. Before you cook the masa fries, make the crema. Add the avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, jalapeño, water, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add more water if needed to thin it out a little. You don't want it to be thick like sour cream.
5. In a large cast iron skillet melt the butter and oil over medium/high heat.
6. While the butter and oil heat, remove the masa fries from the refrigerator. Remove from plastic wrap and cut into 1/2 inch planks.
7. Once the oil/butter is hot, carefully swirl it around the pan. Add about 5 fries at a time. Cook for 2 minutes per all 4 sides until slightly browned and golden. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Fry up the next batch, you might need to add a little more butter.
8. Serve the hot masa fries with a generous drizzle of avocado crema on top plus whatever other garnishes you desire. I like fresh cilantro and pico de gallo. Mike prefers crispy chorizo.