The Perfect Guacamole

August 1st, 2011 | Author: lacey - a sweet pea chef

Guacamole can be one of life’s most wonderful foods.

All it takes to make The Perfect Guacamole is a few fresh ingredients and some simple guidelines.

Let’s discuss the options, shall we?

1. Chunky or Smooth? How do you like your guacamole? I like my avocados on the smoother side and to get the chunkiness from the other ingredients. To make your avocados smooth, just take a fork to the avocados and mash them down to your desired texture.

2. Tomatoes or No Tomatoes? Personally, I can’t imagine a world without adding fresh, diced tomatoes to my guacamole. But, I realize not everyone agrees with me. Just be sure to dice them small enough so they don’t overpower the more mellow avocados. And, please, use fresh, ripe and crisp tomatoes.

3. Red, White or Yellow Onion? My simple answer is, “Yes, please.” Each variety of onion adds a different dimension to the avocado. Your taste buds will probably prefer one over the other. Red and yellow onions will offer a sweeter, non-obtrusive flavor, while white onions will have more of a sharp bite.

4. Lemon or Lime? Not only will adding some freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice help keep your guacamole from turning brown, it will also perfectly cut the richness of the avocados and marry the flavors beautifully. That’s right: marry. I’m always partial to using lime in my Mexican dishes and guacamole is no exception.

5. Only Use Ripe, Perfect Avocados. This really isn’t a question, but more of a guideline. Too often, people think they can use old, mushy avocados in their guacamole. Think again, I beg you. Great guacamole starts with perfectly ripe avocados. 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 should not be used. Ever.

Why save making guacamole for special occasions like parties and the Superbowl? Homemade guacamole is delicious, healthy and ridiculously easy to make.

The Perfect Guacamole

3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 tbsp. (about 1/2 lime) freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup (about 1/4 small) red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 cup (about 1 1/2 medium) vine-ripened tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cumin

Directions

In a medium bowl, gently mash the avocados to desired consistency using the back of a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and lightly stir to combine. Season to taste.

Refrigerate, covered, for one hour.

Posted in Healthy Recipes, Sauces, Sides, Vegetarian |

Tags: easy guacamole, homemade guacamole, Mexican food, the perfect guacamole

Lelah:

August 1, 2011 at 10:42 am

I love guacamole and this recipe looks fantastic. It has all my favorite things – avocado, onions and cilantro. I love the idea of adding some cumin! Have you ever tried adding a pinch of brown sugar? I usually add it to balance out the acid of the lemon or lime juice and the salt.
Lelah recently posted..Organizing lessons from Harry Potter

lacey - a sweet pea chef:

August 1, 2011 at 9:58 pm

Hi Lelah! No, I’ve actually never heard of adding brown sugar to guacamole — I’ll have to try that out sometime. Very interesting! Thanks for stopping by