Guest Post: Katie's Guacamole

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After I posted the recipe for tortilla chips the other day a number of you requested the recipe for my friend Katie's guacamole. And she blew me away by not only giving me the recipe but writing a guest post for us all with lots of extra explanations and hints. I would say the thing that sets Katie's guacamole apart from most others is her generous use of lime juice. We had a 'tequila and stuff that goes well with it' party back in St Andrews and while Katie made the guacamole I was really surprised how much lime juice she kept adding and how that really brought out all the other flavours. I'll add a picture once I have access to my pictures again (i.e. when the gods at the repair shop finally give me my laptop back...)

So you all saw the post about homemade tortilla chips, but as I have said to several of you before, while the delectable crunch of the chips is irresistible, chips are merely a vehicle for delivering the creamy goodness of guacamole to your tastebuds. Guacamole is so simple, just a few main ingredients, but it can be so satisfying!

Without further ado, here is the recipe for a small crowd- a late summer garden party perhaps?

Guacamole

-5 ripe avocados (when you *gently* press into the avocado with your thumb, there should be some give, but you shouldn't leave a thumbprint in it--this means it is probably brown and mushy inside.)

-2-3 medium sized ripe tomatoes, diced. I like the ones on the vine because they have so much more flavor and less water than the cheap tomatoes.

-juice of 1-2 limes

- bunch of cilantro/coriander leaves. Easy to forget but completely essential!

-salt and pepper to taste. Remember that your chips may already have salt on them, so go easy!

- I like my guac as a cool, creamy alternative to spicy salsa, but if you want to add some kick to yours, you can add a clove of garlic and a teaspoon of finely diced chili pepper

To put it all together is simple, but there are some safety concerns when handling avocados- apparently avocado slicing injuries are second only to fireworks related injuries on 4th of July in the US. Maybe I'm making this up but it helps to know how to handle a slippery avocado. I usually hold it up horizontally and slice in until you meet resistance from the pit; then, rather than slice around it, I roll the avocado along the knife while holding the knife steady. Once the two halves are separated, I use the knife like a machete to chop into the pit; then just twist and lift the pit out, and slide the knife against the edge of your trash bin to get the pit unstuck from your knife.

I cut the avocados into slices, then scoop them out with a fork. I mash the slices with the back of the fork, too, before adding the diced tomato. Then add in the cilantro/coriander, lime juice, and salt and pepper and mash to desired level of consistency. If you want really creamy guac, you can pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor.

If for some odd reason you don't finish all the guacamole (ran out of chips?), it can be stored overnight in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can sometimes get brown on the surface and look gross, but just mix it back up and it will be green again and good to go. To prevent it from turning brown, I have three tips. 1- cover the surface with cling film and press down so that the film is directly touching the guac, without any air bubbles. 2- if you don't have cling film, you can squeeze some extra lime juice over the top. 3- I have heard that if you store the guac with the avocado pit in the same bowl, it won't go brown, but I usually just toss the pit and so I haven't tried this tip myself.

Alright, that's about all I have to say about guacamole, my favorite food group. Enjoy! Buen provecho!