Homemade guacamole
There is a process involved in making delicious, homemade guacamole – it does take some time, but it is well worth the effort. Let’s begin by discussing the shopping process. When looking for avocados, make sure to choose ones that are ripe and brownish in colour (especially if you are shopping the same day you plan on making the guacamole) so you are able to easily slice into and mash up the avocados. During the shopping trip, it is best to buy the freshest and ripest ingredients you can, in order to ensure the quality and taste of the finished product.
Now that you know the most important shopping reminders, it is time to move on to the task of preparing all of the ingredients.
Begin by getting out a large bowl, a knife, and a cutting board. The amount of guacamole you would like to have changes the amount of each ingredient you will need. I typically make guacamole when heading to a get together of some kind, so I usually make enough for 8-15 people to snack on (it’s always better to have a little too much than not enough!)
Begin by mincing one medium Spanish onion – you want the flavour of the onion, but not giant pieces of it throughout (unless, of course, you like chunky guacamole) – and add the onion to the bowl. Next, mince between four to six cloves of garlic and add to the bowl. Follow by chopping up three Roma tomatoes and add them to the bowl as well.
Slicing and removing the flesh of the avocados is the next step. The easiest way to do this is by cutting the avocado in half and then twisting the two pieces to detach them from each other. To remove the pit, use your knife to grab hold of the pit and put it in the compost. Next, slice through the flesh in a diagonal manner from one side to the other, and repeat this act of slicing from the other side. Once you have done this, you are ready to scoop the avocado into the bowl (if your avocados are ripe enough, you may be able to use a spoon to scoop out the flesh on its own) and throw the shell into the compost. Repeat this process to all avocadoes and add them each into the bowl. I typically use six avocados to gain the volume of guacamole I desire to bring to a dinner party.
Next, cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juices from the full lemon into the bowl. The use of lemon enables the avocado to keep its beautiful green colour for hours. Add salt and pepper to taste and mash everything up using a potato masher, trying to get the guacamole to a smooth consistency. Serve with tortilla chips, or as an addition to any Mexican style dish.
Grocery list:
– 6 ripe avocados
– 3 Roma tomatoes
– 1 medium Spanish onion
– 1 head of garlic
– 1 lemon
– Salt
– Pepper
Down with garlicky guacamole! The only other changes I would make would be to replace the Spanish onion with red onion, and add cilantro. Also, use lime over lemon. And add a jalapeño pepper for spice. And unless you need the avacados that same day, buying them green helps to ensure they arent bruised inside.