Guacamole!

You might love it you might hate it, but if you haven’t had it fresh, you probably should try it before you make your final judgement. 

Avocados have certainly been trendy the past five years. On one hand, it’s great that the ingredient is much more available…however, I find I really don’t care for the avocado or guac at most chain establishments.

There is nothing like making your own guacamole for a nice summer treat or appetizer. It’s always a crowd favorite at a barbecue or party – definitely a dish that people just stand over, shoveling more and more in their mouths.

Key to good guacamole is the quality of avocado. If you have time (days) you can purchase under-ripe avocados (green) and wait for them to ripen. If a little more pressed for time,  look for ones that are black/brown and firm, but not rock hard – they should give to a firm touch. Check out the stem and make sure there isn’t a lot of white residue around it – this often indicates mold. 

To cut and de-pit an avocado without wasting any of that green flesh : Cut in half lengthwise around the pit. Twist each half in opposite directions – one side should easily pop off. With the remaining half that still has the pit in it, VERY CAREFULLY “thwack” your knife down into the pit, and repeat the same twisting action – voila! Sometimes, even when you feel like you’ve found the perfectly ripe avocado, it will have some brown spots on the inside. If it’s just in a few places, you can just removed and discard those parts…but if a lot of the avocado is compromised, don’t use it (and maybe consider a trying to get a refund!).

Ingredients:

4 Avocados

1 Tomato

1/2 Bell Pepper

1/2 Onion

4 Garlic cloves, diced/crushed

Cilantro, to taste (optional)

Jalapeno, to taste (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Lemon or lime juice ( to preserve freshness and to taste)

1. Cut and de-pit the avocados, then scoop the green insides into a medium sized bowl with a spoon.
2. Chop the other ingredients to your desired size and add to the avocado – mash and mix using a fork or spoon.
3. Add cilantro, chopped jalapeno, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Squeeze lemon or lime juice into the mixture and mix (prevents browning).