Happy Avocado Day, everyone. That seems weird to say. I think we can all agree avocados don’t bring much to the table on their own. Sure, they’re a source of good fat, acid, vitamins, and fiber...but, they’re a little bland. I remember having a great fear of avocados as a child. It goes back to taco night as a wee lad. Before it was common knowledge of how to pick a perfectly ripe fruit (just a little give, not mushy when pressing gently) or that you should hit a freshly cut avocado with lemon or lime juice to help delay oxidation, my mom would dice them up as she prepped all of the other accoutrements. They’d sit for about 30 minutes and by the time they hit the table, they were well-browned and looking like Franken-food. Then you eat it and it’s just all mush. So, I get food fears, but c’mon we’re all adults now, time to be a big boy and try some things that scarred you as a child...except for perhaps sitting bare-legged on cheap vinyl car upholstery on a 98 degree day, ripping your legs apart from the seat as you tried to get out of the hot car.
Admittedly, I’m taking the easy route on today’s entry. It’s not even National Guacamole Day (Sep 16), but I’m hoping to be on my honeymoon then (this delta variant is causing us much consternation with a wedding about 40 days out), so here it is. Guacamole is amazing. Just a few simple ingredients that come together in beautiful harmony. The key is fresh ingredients and a few flavor components: lime, cilantro and salt. If you don’t like cilantro, your guac is gonna be a little flat, sorry. While perhaps not the best way to honor an avocado, I prefer a creamier guac, over chunky. Beyond utility purposes (it’s a dip and easier to get with a chip), I find that the flavor spreads better throughout a creamy guacamole. Some people add cumin or other spices. I’m a traditionalist and keep it simple. You can do whatever you like, here. I mean...I employ a little extra-virgin olive oil. Being half Italian, it’s hard to have a meal without it. As for chips? I love lighter, thinner chips for salsa or pico de gallo. But, for guacamole I use a thicker, yellow corn tortilla chip.
Guacamole
Want a lovely cocktail to pair with this appetizer? Try my watermelon margaritas!
2 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and lightly chopped
½ red onion, minced
Jalapeño pepper
EVOO
Ripe roma tomato, diced fine
Cilantro, minced
3 ripe avocados
Lime
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a mortar bowl, combine the garlic, 1 tbsp of the minced onion, 1 tsp of the minced jalapeño, a tsp of evoo and a pinch of sea salt. Using the pestle, grind the ingredients together for them to release their juice, until combined. Transfer to a work bowl. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, mince all of the ingredients into a fine paste.
Quickly rough chop your avocado and place it in the work bowl and squeeze the juice from a lime over the avocado. Add in the remaining onion and jalapeño along with a heavy pinch of cilantro. Mix/mash the ingredients until it just comes together like a dip. Sprinkle on the sea salt; breaking up the crystals on your fingertips as you sprinkle it on. Add in some freshly ground black pepper and tomato and stir to combine.
Now you have your base, the next part is all strictly to your taste. Add more lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper (even more jalapeño, if desired), in small increments until you start doing that little happy food dance.
Tip: to prevent the guacamole from getting too salty, just before you reach your happy flavor zone dance stage, sample with a chip. Tortilla chips are super salty, so you will get a boost from them and don’t want to go too crazy with the salt in the guacamole.
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Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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