Guacamole--food of the gods

[Peter Johnson]

So I'm hanging at my pad and trying to figure out what to do for dinner, when it hits me: guacamole! How hard can it be?

Off to the market for one avocado, one roma tomato, one shallot, one garlic and one bunch of cilantro.

A slice down the middle of that avocado and it's in halves; squeezed it out of the skin, cleaned off the pit. Sliced up the tomato, scoop out the crap, and toss it in the bowl. Minced up one clove each of the shallot and the garlic; tossed it in. Also minced a fair amount of cilantro, tossed that it.

Two spoons, mashed it all together, and bam--some good goddamn guac that's put a smile on my face!

Can I get an amen for some guacamole?

Anyone have a special ingredient that I left out--maybe white pepper or a little salt (although I'm sure it needs it)?

Particularly nice with a California pinot noir!!!

[Bright Moments]

YUM!!!!!

[Rooster_Ties]

I know, if I don't have anything nice to say -- don't say anything at all. That's usually my motto.

But I don't get guacamole, never have, not one bit. Don't get avocados either. Maybe that's my problem.

[Peter Johnson]

Threadkiller!

[patricia]

I agree that guacamole is a wonderful thing.

There are as many recipes for it as there are people who love it.

Here's mine:

Guacamole

2 green onions

1 large fresh garlic clove, minced

1 enormous tomato, chopped up fine, but not pulverized

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/4 tsp minced cilantro [some people like more, but I'm not big on cilantro]

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

cayenne [be careful with this, add a tiny bit at a time, tasting all the while. If you don't, you'll blow somebody's head off.]

4 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded and mashed. [you should end up with about 2 cups.]

Ground rock salt or seasoned salt, if you must.

FRESHLY ground pepper [keep on tasting].

Just dump all this into a good-sized bowl in the order given and them mix them around till they're all mixed around. Serve with corn chips, or even chunks of Frenchbread.

I like it and there's never any left when I serve it to guests. Try it. You might like it too.

Edited February 12, 2005 by patricia

[Peter Johnson]

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

I KNEW I forgot something! Duh...lemon juice...that's really the secret ingredient that makes it work--no idea why, but it does.

Hadn't thought about cumin _or_ cayenne; I'll have to give those a shot next time.

Thanks, Patricia!

[Jazzmoose]

Okay, now that's different: not only is guacamole incredible, it's also one of the few proper uses of cilantro, a weed I've previously badmouthed here. I'm only allowed to make it twice a month, as guacamole and a bag of fresh tortilla strips is a guaranteed recipe for disaster as far as Barb is concerned, but I ain't makin' it any less, either...

By the way, after you cut the avacodo in half, just give the pit a good whack with a heavy sharp knife or a cleaver, then give it a twist, and it'll come out clean as a whistle.

(I'm gonna have to try that recipe, Patricia; it looks better than mine anyway!)

[Rooster_Ties]

Speaking of which, how come there isn't Cilantro ice cream??

Edited February 12, 2005 by Rooster_Ties

[patricia]

I hope you like my recipe, but, play around with it. KEEP ON TASTING IT as you make it, or adjust the amounts of seasonings so that YOU like it. It's kind of like any recipe that you make all the time. Sometimes it has a little more, or a little less of something in it, but it's still good. BTW, the lemon juice, besides smoothing out the guacamole, also keeps the avocadoes from turning dark. You can also brush some on the other half of one, before wrapping it in plastic, if you should ever find yourself with one. Also, leave the pit in a half that you're not going to eat right away.

Another thing that I do with avocado is mash a half or even a whole one, with whatever spices I have around and put in on a BIG baked russet potato and that's dinner, with a salad.

[i'm a vegetarian, so a baked potato is quite often the base for a meal for me.]

Edited February 12, 2005 by patricia

[Rooster_Ties]

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

I KNEW I forgot something! Duh...lemon juice...that's really the secret ingredient that makes it work--no idea why, but it does.

Lemon juice is what makes homemade Hummus work too.

Not a lot, but just a splash or two.

Edited February 12, 2005 by Rooster_Ties

[wesbed]

I was in a Mexican food mood this past week. I ate in a different restaurant every evening, after work, on Tucson's south side. I enjoyed pozole one night, and a combinaton plate of enchiladas and tacos the next. I enjoyed spicey salsas, cold Tecate (with lime), and guacamole. I had some guacamole that was hot (picante), some that was tasteless, some that was mixed with too many tomatoes, some with too little cilantro, some made fresh at my table, and some that was oh so right. Every restaurant has it's own way of preparing guacamole. Some better than others but all very comforting and enjoyable.

When I first arrived in Tucson, 20 years ago, I hated cilantro. It reminded me of the taste of soap (I don't know why). I've since come to really enjoy cilantro. I like the spice in all kinds of Mexican food. I like it in salsa, guacamole, and various Mexican soups. I like to sprinkle chopped cilantro all over a plate of hot Mexican food.

I'm thinking I might pick a random eatery and enjoy some huevos rancheros on Sunday morning. Maybe I'll order a side of guacamole and a Tecate to wash it down.

I'm getting hungry.

Edited February 12, 2005 by wesbed

[SEK]

Quick Guac:

Mash together an appropriate amount of avocados with a good salsa to taste.

[tonym]

Patricia has the definitive recipe as far as I'm concerned. Don't miss out on the cumin and a splash of Habenero makes it lively.

I like these threads.

[JSngry]

Try making it w/cream cheese mixed in. I learned that trick from some of the locals when I lived in Albuquerque. Deadly, but delicious.

[Guest ariceffron]

I AM A GUACAMOLE EXPERT AND CAN EAT MORE GUACAMOLE THAN ALL OF YOU. ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE. I WILL EAT 1 GALLON OF GUAC (SPICY IS FINE) IN 90 MIN.

[JSngry]

90 minutes? That's enough time for me to eat it, take a nap, and wake up refreshed to see you finish yours!

BRING IT ON, Cabesa de Aguacate!

[wesbed]

Try making it w/cream cheese mixed in. I learned that trick from some of the locals when I lived in Albuquerque. Deadly, but delicious.

Albuquerque. New Mexico.

This reminds me. There is a local breakfast/lunch place 'round the corner from where I live. The owners are from New Mexico. They offer Mexican breakfast/lunch foods based on family recipes they brought from New Mexico to Arizona. It's the kind of place that opens at 5AM and closes at 2PM.

Mmmm... fried eggs, a tamale, beans and salsa. I'll order mine with a side of guacamole and some coffee. I know where I'm going for my Saturday morning breakfast. B-)

[Peter Johnson]

I'm thinking I might pick a random eatery and enjoy some huevos rancheros on Sunday morning. Maybe I'll order a side of guacamole and a Tecate to wash it down.

Oh man, Wes, that is _the_ breakfast of champions. No way am I adverse to an a.m. Tecate if it's going with that meal!

Yum!

[wesbed]

I'm thinking I might pick a random eatery and enjoy some huevos rancheros on Sunday morning. Maybe I'll order a side of guacamole and a Tecate to wash it down.

Oh man, Wes, that is _the_ breakfast of champions. No way am I adverse to an a.m. Tecate if it's going with that meal!Yum!

It seems quite a normal practice in these parts. I mean, if you go to Denny's for breakfast, you order coffee. If you choose Maria's Cafe instead, you may order coffee, Corona or Tecate. It's especially comforting when you enjoy breakfast at Maria's in June. When you arrive at the restaurant at 9:30AM, it's already near 100 degrees outside but the food is flavorful and the beer is cold. Some of the Mexican restaurants in the area say they don't serve beer, however, you're welcome to bring your own.

Edited February 12, 2005 by wesbed

[Jazzmoose]

Good grief! Sorry, but I gotta have a beer with Mexican food. I have a horrible case of gringo mouth, and if I don't have some alcohol to wash my tongue off, I'll burn to a crisp in a matter of minutes...

[wesbed]

Good grief!  Sorry, but I gotta have a beer with Mexican food.  I have a horrible case of gringo mouth, and if I don't have some alcohol to wash my tongue off, I'll burn to a crisp in a matter of minutes...

I don't know. Iced-tea works nearly the same wonders on la lengua as beer.

[jlhoots]

I like Patricia's recipe too.

The chili powder, cayenne & cumin(probably) are essential.

[patricia]

I think that the main thing about guacamole is that if a recipe calls for something that you think you don't like, put a tiny touch of it in anyway, even if you have to isolate the bulk of the ingredients and try the seasonings in little spoons of it in a custard cup. Use fresh herbs and freshly ground spices, if you possibly can. It makes all the difference.

I mentioned that I really don't like cilantro, but then I thought about why. I think it's because, in the eighties, cilantro was in everything . It was a fad, especially in Vancouver restaurants at the time. BUT, it's essential, I think in guacamole, and I like all the other stuff. But, again, go easy on the cayenne, because if you put too much in, initially, there is no way that you can take it back out. It's like powdered dynamite to some people. You want to avoid injuring your guests. I would be really hesitant about putting habanero peppers in it for general consumption, unless you know what level of the pepper scale your friends have achieved to this point. Some have reached it with jalapenoes. So, be careful.

However, you can, if you still have avocadoes and tomatoes left over, make the recipe bigger and add a little bit more of the other stuff, to avoid having to throw it away.

Guacamole. Proof that the Almighty likes us.

Edited February 12, 2005 by patricia

[Peter Johnson]

Guacamole. Proof that the Almighty likes us.

Amen!

[EulaM]

So I'm hanging at my pad and trying to figure out what to do for dinner, when it hits me:  guacamole!  How hard can it be?

Off to the market for one avocado, one roma tomato, one shallot, one garlic and one bunch of cilantro.

A slice down the middle of that avocado and it's in halves; squeezed it out of the skin, cleaned off the pit.  Sliced up the tomato, scoop out the crap, and toss it in the bowl.  Minced up one clove each of the shallot and the garlic; tossed it in.  Also minced a fair amount of cilantro, tossed that it.

Two spoons, mashed it all together, and bam--some good goddamn guac that's put a smile on my face!

Can I get an amen for some guacamole?

Anyone have a special ingredient that I left out--maybe white pepper or a little salt (although I'm sure it needs it)?

Particularly nice with a California pinot noir!!!

Lime juice and sometimes a little bit of Aneheim chili finely chopped, but not minced. skin removed, a splash of hotsauce preferebly Chulula or Tabasco. And if you'd like a bit of broiled and finely minced Serrano chili's, Never ever use sour cream or mayonaise. The lime juice helps against darkening, and placing the Avacado seed in the guacamole helps keep it from turnng color as well.

To do the Aneheim chili's place under a broiler or over hot coals and bubble and blacken the skins, turning and then removing before they are too well done. Put them between wet paper towels and place in baggie or a paper bag immediately, sealing well untill cool enough to handle, and when they are, take paper towels and rub off the black peel. Remove the seeds and discard them. Do the Serano's the same way, and put in the same bag. These are hot, so use gloves when working with them and if you don't use gloves, after finishing, pour a lot of salt into your hands and clean your hands off with dry salt and then with salt and water, then rinse and rinse doing it more than once if necessary. This helps remove the oils better than anything I've found.

I've seen people put the tomato's over hot coals and soften them, giving them a smokey flavor as well. Yum! Salts good! If using habenaro use only a less than dime size piece sliced off the very end, that is it's milded part, still flavorful however, and then put it in the blender with the lime juice, and garlic, then pour into the mix and mix well. Some people put 1/2 of the dip in their blender, but I prefer it the way you do it, just smash it. To make that easy to pour, most blenders blending mechanism will fit a jar say a small mayonaise jar, and use it to chop up the Habanero. Much easier.

Do wear gloves with a Habanero. Wisest thng to do.

Edited February 13, 2005 by EulaM