Guacamole

When the cravings for Guacamole come, they must be answered.

I love avocados. The pale green flesh, the rich buttery taste, the thwack sound the pit makes when I hit it with my knife. I like it sliced in salads or spread between two pieces of buttered toast with a little salt and pepper. But I really love it in guacamole with a handful of salty chips on the side.

The Ingredients

Sure, it’s high in fat, but I’m slightly mollified by the fact it’s a good fat and there are lots of vitamins and potassium in avocados. I also need that information to justify my decision to eat guacamole for dinner. (It’s flimsy justification, but justification nonetheless.)

The Ingredients

I like to make mine by cubing the avocados while still in their skins and then scooping the chunks out with a spoon before gently stirring with the other ingredients, so the meaty fruit retains some of its bite instead of becoming a paste. (You’ll see below that the instructions are slightly different. Obviously, do as you feel is best.)

Dicing the avocado

Red Onion

Ready to serve

It should come as no surprise that this recipe comes from my mentor, the Barefoot Contessa.

Guacamole

  • Four ripe Haas avocados (I just buy whatever is in the store)
  • 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice — one lemon
  • 8 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced (I use a rasp — best kitchen gadget ever — so there are no large chunks of garlic)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium tomato, seeded and small-diced

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, Tabasco, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

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7 Comments

  1. Well, as a 66-year-old native Texan, who has been enjoying guacamole (way before those NYC types even heard of an avocado … LOL), I thought I knew all the tricks.

    But the way you finely diced the avocado meat, giving the guacamole a chunkier texture than a paste, is new to me.

    And I LIKE it.

    By the way, BEAUTIFUL photos. Thanks.

  2. That really looks great – this is a perfect I was going to say summer treat but no I am wrong guacamole is pretty much an all season yummy! I do prefer the chunky avacados like your killer recipe calls for and I have not made it tabasco – nice touch!! *try a little squeeze of lime as well..

    Cheers
    Cathy
    http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com

  3. I like your chunky guacamole. The creamy ones are pretty boring.

    We like to just eat the avocados straight out of the skin. None are left to make guacamole with.

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