Guacamole is basically mashed avocados and salt, but with a little creativity, it can be so much more.
Where you have Mexican food, you will find guacamole. Dating back to the Aztecs, in its simplest form guacamole is fresh avocado, salt and tomato. Differing across the country with variations including everything from corn nibblets to bits of cheese to chunks of mango.
Guacamole can be served on the side on nearly every Mexican main dish such as the Mexican pizzas, tlayudas, or nachos, as a spread for sandwiches such as cemitas or pambazos, or on it's own with chips at your next Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
Avocados
The most important ingredient in guacamole is the avocado. For guacamole, only the ripest avocados will do. When choosing avocados, gently squeeze the fruit. Slightly soft, almost squishy, avocados are perfect. If your finger breaks the skin, it probably means that the avocado is over ripe. If the avocado does not give at all to the touch, it is not ripe enough.
To remove the flesh of the avocado, take a knife and slice into the fruit lengthwise. With the blade of the knife in contact with pit, rotate the avocado to cut it in half. Gently twist the two halves apart.
One half will have the pit still inside. The best way to remove the pit is to take a knife and gently whack the blade into the pit hard enough so the edge bites into the pit, but not so hard that you cleave the avocado in half. Turn the knife and the pit should release from the flesh. If you are working with a hard avocado, you can place it on a grill for a couple minutes to soften it a bit.
Take one half of the avocado and run the tip of a knife lengthwise through the flesh to cut slices going all the way to, but not through, the skin. Repeat in the other direction to create little squares in the flesh.
Take a spoon and scoop out the flesh. The inside of the avocado will fall out in little cubes which can be easily mashed up.
There is no substitute for fresh guacamole. This is not a “make ahead of time” item. Prepare as close to the time of consumption as possible. Avocados tend to oxidize and turn brown quickly. The oxidation of avocados does not affect the flavor in any way, but it does make the guacamole much less attractive. The lime in this recipe will help prevent discoloration for many hours and up to a day if covered and refrigerated.
Guacamole
Serves 3-4 people
Ingredients:
2-3 large avocados (see above on how to extract flesh)
2 Tbls. Fresh chopped cilantro
4 scallions or green onions diced (use the white part in the guacamole and the green part for garnish)
1 tsp. lime juice (or to taste)
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. pepper
Optional ingredients (in combination or separate):
1 half diced jalapeño
1 quarter diced mango
1/4 cup corn nibblets
1/4 cup crumbled Mexican cheese of choice
1) Mix ingredients in a bowl and serve
