Manly Guacamole

Guacamole I have cause to celebrate every year when avocados come back in season. Yes, you can get them out of season, but they’re far more expensive and are harder to find. I wait impatiently for the day I can walk into my local store and see bins filled with big, ripe avocados just waiting for me to take them home and mash them in a bowl. Oh, the joy of it!

The great thing about guacamole is that there are many ways to make it, from super easy to complex. When it comes down to it, you can just mash some avocado and add a bit of salt. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Even the complex recipes, however, are not difficult. They just include more spices and such, and you can decide for yourself what else you want to add to your recipe.

Below, I’ll walk you through the basic recipe I use, then offer some options to make it even better. Regardless of which way you decide to go, at the end you’ll have a wonderful bowl of flavorful guacamole that’s much better than a store bought variety. Then all you need to do is warm up some chips and plop yourself on the couch in front  of the game of the day or a good movie… unless, of course, you’re making it for company, in which case you’ll have to fight your strong desire to snarf up the entire bowl then and there. If that’s the case, do what I do: make a double batch – one for you, and the other for your dinner. Wait; who am I kidding? Make a triple batch, because your guests are going to want more, too!

Guacamole Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 cup minced red onion (about 1/2 of a medium onion)
1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed

For Heat:

1-2 chili peppers (Jalapeno, Serrano or other variety)

OR

Cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions:

Slice avocado top to bottom. Separate halves and remove seed. I’ve found that I can stick a knife into the seed, then use it as a lever to pry the seed out.

Scoop avocado from peel and place in medium to large bowl (depending on how much you’re making).

Add salt and lime juice to bowl. Using a fork or potato masher, coarsely mash the avocados. Unless you want a creamy dip, don’t overdo it. Most guacamole is fairly chunky.

Add cilantro and onion to the bowl. Use a spoon to blend everything together. If you don’t have fresh cilantro, substitute 2 TEASPOONS (not tablespoons) of dried cilantro.

If you prefer, you can stop right there. A lot of people (and restaurants) do. Just put in in a serving bowl and refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Cover the dip with plastic wrap actually touching the top. This prevents oxidization, which will turn the top of your dip darker.

Guacamole If you want a spicier dip, you can add peppers in one of the following ways:

1. Add cayenne pepper to taste. Some also add cumin to give the dip an earthy flavor. Start with 1/4 teaspoon each; blend in the spices, and then let it all sit for a while before taste testing. I suggest you go slowly the first few times around so you don’t over do it. If that happens, the only way to fix it is to add more avocado.

2. Add some fresh chili peppers. Cut pepper in half to remove stems and seeds. Finely chop peppers and blend into guacamole.

About the tomato:

Tomato is not absolutely necessary, but I like to add it in, because that’s what I grew up on. If you want to add tomato, cut a tomato in half. Remove the seeds and pulp (the goo around the seeds). Chop half the tomato and fold into the guacamole.

As I said, I prefer to add tomato to the recipe. For my whole life, I’ve been adding it before refrigerating the dip. Lately, however, I’ve come across a few sources that recommend waiting until just before serving to add the tomato. According to these sources, tomatoes lose some of their flavor when refrigerated. Since this discovery, I’ve tried it both ways and the only time I noticed a difference was when I made the guacamole several hours before serving. When serving within an hour of preparation, I haven’t had any problems adding the tomatoes along with the rest of the ingredients.

Notes:

Remember to cover the dip with plastic wrap. This is important! Press the wrap directly into the top of the guacamole to prevent it from turning color.

Serve with warm tortilla chips. The easy way to warm tortillas is in the microwave. I do soup bowl-sized batches for about 20 seconds and they come out perfectly.

To add visual appeal, sprinkle the top with a bit of chopped cilantro immediately before serving.

You can see that even the most complex version of this recipe isn’t that hard to make. Just take your time and you’ll enjoy excellent results. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. And please come back and tell me how things went when you make it.

Of course, the most important thing is to have fun, and…

Play with your food!

Lane


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Lane

About Lane

Lane Baldwin is a an internationally-acclaimed singer, songwriter, author and food lover. He wasn't trained in France, and he doesn't have his own TV show. He just loves to cook, and loves sharing what he's learned over the years. In his "real life," Lane has toured the world, bringing his special brand of Blues-infused Americana to millions of fans. At home he leads a quiet life filled with good books, good food and good friends.