Spicy-hot, southwestern-style mini quiches baked in corn tortilla 'cups' and served topped with a fresh tomato and avocado salsa.

Mexicali Quiche with Avocado Topping

6 corn tortillas
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons seeded and chopped green chili peppers (see Note)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado, mashed
1 tomato, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Bring 2-inches of water to a boil in a large skillet; remove from the heat. Dip corn tortillas in the water to soften; drain. Form into greased custard cups.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground pork, chopped onion, chili powder, and cumin. Cook until browned and crumbly; drain. Combine eggs, chopped green chili peppers, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Stir in the sausage mixture. Spoon half of the mixture into the custard cups. Divide and sprinkle half of shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top. Spoon the remaining meat mixture into the cups.
3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes then top with the remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Combine peeled, mashed avocado, chopped tomato, crushed garlic clove, and lemon juice. Serve over the quiches.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.