Guacamole

Guacamole, a dip or ‘salsa’ made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. The name is derived from two Aztec words - ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). You know what it is...but you haven't had this recipe yet :)

 

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1-2 limes, juiced (enough to coat the avocado)
• ¼  teaspoon coarsely ground sea salt
• ¼ freshly ground black pepper
• ½ medium sweet onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
• 2 garlic clove, raw and finely minced
• 2 heaping tablespoons of Pico de Gallo 

Preparation

·         Place unpeeled garlic in a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the skins, smash and chop.

** You can also oven roast the garlic by wrapping a whole head in foil and roast it in a 400ºF oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Or do the same thing on a very hot grill in about 10 minutes.

·         Scoop avocado flesh into a large bowl. Add the garlic, onion, cilantro and lime juice.

·         Coarsely mash everything together.

·         Season with salt and pepper.

·         Thoroughly stir in the Pico de Gallo and transfer to a serving bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

Tips for making killer guacamole at home:

Use Only Ripe Avocados—The foundation of any respectable guacamole is a ripe avocado. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good.

NOTE: If you have to buy unripened avocados, you can speed the ripening process along by putting the avocados in a brown paper bag with a banana or an apple.

Be Bold with the garlic and onion—Onions and garlic are essential to any good guacamole so use one large finely minced clove of raw garlic for every two cloves of roasted garlic.

Use ONLY Fresh Cilantro and Lime—Puleeeease don’t use bottled lime juice! A whole lime or two, along with a handful of chopped cilantro, will provide a welcome burst of brightness and wonderful flavor to your guac. You also get an added bonus by using fresh juice, it slows down the oxidation process preventing your guacamole from turning brown, which is always a good thing!

Stay healthy people!

Pico de Gallo

Pico de GalloPPico de Gallo (rooster’s beak in Spanish…yeh I know) is a fresh tomato salsa that is delicious on just about anything.  Even though it is but one of a myriad of different salsas in Spanish cuisine, this is what us gringos blanket label as being ‘salsa’. Serve it on chips, tacos, eggs, toast…anything. It is also a key ingredient in other recipes, like guacamole.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers (to your taste) seeded and finely chopped
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño to taste, lime zest and juice, and sugar in a medium serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Per 1/4-cup serving: 11 calories; 0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 75 mg sodium; 80 mg potassium.