Oval Bowl of Guacamole
(click to enlarge)

Guacamole


Mexico   -   Guacamole

Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
2 cups
**
30 min
Part
This famous Mexican dip for chips and vegetables is easy to make - if you can find avocados in the proper state of ripness or have time to let them ripen. Also see Note-2, and Note-3.

3
1
1/4
1
1/2
1/4
----

oz

c
#
t
#
-----

Onion white
Chili Serrano
Cilantro chopped
Avocados ripe (1)
Salt
Tomatoes
--Garnish
White Onion chopped
Cilantro chopped

Make:   -   (30 min)
  1. Chop ONIONS, CHILIS and CILANTRO small, then run in your molcajete, food processor or whatever you have until smooth.
  2. Peel, seed and chop AVOCADOS and add to the Onion mix along with Salt. Mash thoroughly with a wooden spoon until you have the desired somoothness.
  3. Chop TOMATOES very small, drain off excess liquid and stir them into the guacamole until blended.
  4. Garnish and serve immediately.
NOTES:
  1. Avocado:

      Use California (Guatemalan/Mexican) avocados, not Florida (West Indian) avocados - those are too watery. Flesh should be creamy ripe but without dark spots. Yield from avocados varies with variety - you want to end up with about 12 oz of flesh after removing the seed and rind. For details see our Avocados page.
  2. Keeping it Green:

    Most recipes include lime juice in an attempt to keep the bright green color longer, others sprinkle lime juice on top. The Los Angeles Times test kitchen mixes in 1 T of lime juice. It doesn't enhance the flavor and it doesn't help a lot but helps more than embedding avocado seeds which doesn't work at all except where the seeds block off air. The best strategy is to prepare all ingredients ahead except the avocado and mash that in at the last minute. If you do have to prepare all ahead, pat down plastic wrap to exclude all air and refrigerate.
  3. Avocado Dip:

      Guacamole does not include sour cream, or any other dairy product. In wet regions, Florida avocados are grown - but you can't make guacamole from them - not enough oil. To compensate, sour cream is added. This concoction is sometimes called "guacamole", but that's not what it is, it is "avocado dip".
  4. Comments:

      This recipe is based on that given by Diana Kennedy in The Cuisines of Mexico which uses no lime juice.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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