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Friday, March 18, 2011

Simple Guacamole

There are probably as many guacamole recipes as there are tortilla chips. I've made some pretty complex versions, but this is the recipe I always fall back on. It's perfect for munching with chips, or slathered on a taco or dolloped on top of a burrito.

Of course, if you don't like cilantro, leave it out. I like it in small quantities, and this is just perfect.

There are more complex versions, with tomatoes, spices, peppers, bacon ... but when I serve guacamole, there's often some salsa lurking nearby, so there's no need to add the salsa ingredients to the guacamole, too.

To be honest, even when I'm making the guacamole to stand on its own, I tend to like it simple. I like the flavor of avocado. Why obliterate it?

Guacamole

1 avocado
Juice of 1/2 lime
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the meat into a bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix well, mashing the avocado as you go, to your desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Storage tip: If you have left over guacamole that you want to save, there are several ways of keeping it from turning brown.

The the reason it turns brown is exposure to oxygen, so the solution is to cover it. A little bit of olive oil over the top to coat it will protect it. Or use a thin coating of sour cream or yogurt. The next day, stir the sour cream or yogurt into the guacamole. It won't taste exactly the same, but at least you won't be throwing it out.

Acid also thwarts the browning, so an extra squirt of lime juice will also keep the surface from browning, but it will affect the flavor more than the yogurt or sour cream.

If you don't want to add any extra flavor to the left over guacamole, press plastic wrap right against the surface of the guacamole to keep the air out.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

And simple is often better. Sadly, We don't care for avacados in any form and rely on that neaby salsa. Many years ago, had a grower next door and an unlimited supply of free fruit. It still did not work. It is just one of those (few) things.
-C.

Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living said...

I've tried so many different version of guacamole (and probably have never made it the exact same way twice!) but this simple recipe sounds perfect. You covered the necessities for a delicious guacamole!

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