Guacamole, Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

Avocados are 99 cents at the Try 'n Save this week, so it became necessary to purchase a couple.

One my favorite things to do with them is to make guacamole.  Truthfully, aside from garnishing a salad or soup, guacamole is the ONLY thing I know what to do with an avocado.  Luckily, I happen to like the stuff.

Restaurants might serve guacamole with sour cream on or in it, but a fully ripened avocado is creamy-ish by itself, making the addition of dairy very unnecessary.

This recipe is so simple that you can bang it out it even at 11pm because you made the mistake of checking that avocado you bought yesterday and are now in panic mode because it magically went from rock-hard to "OMG it's SO SOFT I better do something with it NOW before it spoils by tomorrow morning"  in less time than it takes to change the TV channel.  Changing the channel in my house is more complex than it sounds ever since we bought that obscenely expensive "smart remote,"  the kind that you either need the 345-page guide in front of you just to turn on the TV or have your teenage son reset it when your thumb slips and the Xbox turns on instead, blasting out  World of Wombats or whatever was left in it.  But I digress ...

Use a red onion, not a yellow or white.  It's crunch and mild taste do not overpower the mild avocado taste.

My family doesn't care for tomatoes in their guacamole, so I leave it out.  But definitely add the drops of hot sauce for a mild tingle on the tongue. 

If you are not serving the guacamole right away, you MUST cover it to prevent it from turning brown.  The flavor is not affected, but the brown looks like rancid mold and no one will go near it.  

Avocados are rather high in fat, but  it's the good kind, this week anyway, so dig into a bag o'chips and go to town.  Even better, make your own.  Less greasy, better tasting and only takes a few minutes to make.  I'll post that very simple recipe real soon.

Guacamole
Serves 6 as a dip

1 ripe avocado
1 tsp. chopped garlic (bottled is fine)
juice from about a 1/4 of a lime
couple dashes Frank's Red Hot Sauce (optional)
1/2 of a small tomato, seeds removed and finely diced (optional)
couple small slices from a red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Cut avocado in half by slicing around the perimeter through to the pit.   Twist slightly to separate the halves.
 Remove pit by first hitting it with a large sharp knife ...

... then twist and lift up.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out the avocado meat.

 Place avocado in a small mixing bowl, then gently mash it with a serving fork.  Do not smash it smooth; leave a few lumps to taste.















Then gently mix in the rest of the ingredients. 

If not serving right away, mound up the guacamole, then gently press a piece of plastic wrap onto it (as if it were cooked chocolate pudding and you don't want a skin to form).

This will help slow down, if not entirely prevent, browning for a day or two.

Serve with taco chips.  Or eat straight from the bowl with a spoon the next morning when if you don't have time to make breakfast.