Guacamole. For those of you who read my last article, forgive me for writing one more time about my love of Mexican food. I just could not pass up the opportunity to highlight one of the best culinary treasures on earth.
Guacamole can be simple, made with avocados, salt, and a little bit of lime, or it can be highly complex filled with various spices, fruits, nuts, herbs and even bacon (there are lots of variations to be found on the internet)! It is equally diverse when served at home as an appetizer with chips or vegetables for dipping or as a condiment on an endless supply of different main dishes.
This week I am offering up an approximation of my typical recipe (I usually don’t measure) and will even provide some suggestions for ways to spruce it up if you want. Samples will be available in the Office of Student Life on Monday until it runs out!
Ingredients:
-
2 medium sized avocados (the best way to tell if they are ripe is if you push on them and there is a slight give – you want them to be a little bit soft, but not mushy or brown)
-
1 clove garlic (fresh is best)
-
1/2 jalapeño, finely diced (you can vary the heat level by using more, less or removing the veins and seeds inside the chile)
-
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
-
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
-
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
-
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
-
juice from 1/2 small lime
Directions:
Take 1 teaspoon onion, the clove of garlic, jalapeño, salt, pepper, lime juice and a good pinch of cilantro and put it in a blender (you can do this in a mortar and pestle or chop all the ingredients finely and try to mash them with a fork if you don’t have a blender.) Blend until smooth. Open the avocados by cutting lengthwise around the pit and pulling the two halves apart. You can remove the pit by gently hitting the pit with the knife and then pulling the pit out. With your knife, carefully cut a crosshatch pattern in each of the halves of the avocado and scoop the cubes out into a bowl with a spoon. Pour the blended mixture over the avocado and gently toss to coat all the pieces evenly. Add remaining cilantro and onion to the bowl and mash the avocado to your preferred consistency (I like mine to have some texture to it). Add more salt to taste if you think it needs it.
If you want to try something different, you can add mango, papaya, peaches, or strawberries for a more tropical feel. Or, as I mentioned above, you can add bacon (think B.L.T. with avocado here and it doesn’t sound so weird). Enjoy!