Friends and food: two of my favorite things that conveniently have a tendency to show up in the same places. Social gatherings just wouldn't be the same without them, and when it comes to social gatherings, many of us have a favorite dish or two we like to bring along.
One of my dependables is guacamole. It's fast. It's easy. It's delicious. And - when avocados and corn chips are on sale at Kroger - it's an affordable addition to a tight budget.
Over the course of many social gatherings, I have landed on a recipe that has proven to be quite a hit. It's cool, tangy, and creamy, with just a hint of spice. The last two occasions on which I brought this guac to an event I was asked for my recipe, and at the most recent gathering I overheard - repeatedly - comments about it being "the best guacamole I have ever tasted."
With a new phone and a new year, I decided it was time to start documenting and sharing more recipes. What makes this guac stand out from other guacs? A few key ingredients that create just the right balance of flavors. Thus, the long awaited recipe makes its debut.....
SECRET INGREDIENT GUACAMOLE
Ingredients:
4 medium/large ripe avocados*
1/4 cup lime or lemon juice (plus a little extra)
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 heaping tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cilantro
Begin by cutting your avocados in half by cutting the flesh and skin of the avocado in half around the pit. Once you've cut all the way around, grab one half in each hand and twist. The halves should come apart easily with the pit in one side as pictured above.
Remove the pit and use a spoon to scoop all the flesh out of the skins and into your blender. If you've chosen a ripe avocado, it should come out easily. No need to chop up the avocados. Let the blender do the work for you.
Add about 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice. In the pictures I used lemon juice, but I actually prefer the flavor of the final product much better with lime juice. Don't worry about being too precise with the measurement as you may need to add more later in order for easier blending purposes. The citrus juice also acts as a preservative of sorts, and keeps the guac from browning.
Dump in 2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar. No substitutions here. This is one of the secret ingredients that makes the recipe! Like the citrus, it also helps to keep the guacamole green.
Add 1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper. I love cumin so I usually make my tsp. generous. Add more or less cayenne pepper depending on your appreciation for spiciness.
Make sure to include 1/4 tsp. of the humble table salt. It really enhances the flavors of the mix!
At this point, it's time for the initial blend. Depending on your blender and the ripeness and size of your avocados, you may need to scrape the sides periodically or add more lemon/lime juice to blend successfully. I had to do both this time. Blend the mix until it is super creamy, or leave it a little chunky if that's how you like your guacamole.
Next, rinse and chop up some cilantro. If you have an amazing blender, you won't have to do much chopping.
I aim for about 1/2 a cup, but honestly the only reason I measured this time was for the sake of this picture. As you can see, I overestimated a little, but I wasn't too bent out of shape about it. I love cilantro, and this is another key ingredient for the final flavor.
Actually, the guac is superb without it, but the cilantro adds another dimension of flavor and texture that is equally tasty. Sometimes I skip the cilantro, but if I have it, I definitely use it. Just keep in mind, the more you add, the harder it will be to blend and the chunkier the end result. It's better to start with less and add more little by little.
Blend, blend, blend! I had to scrape guac off the sides of the blender a lot and repeatedly pop the little air pocket that always develops at the bottom, but with how much I love this guac it's a small price to pay. The end result should be creamy avocado with tiny bits of cilantro throughout. The creamier you want it, the longer you blend it.
Again, you might need to add a little more liquid to aid in the blending process, but beware! If you add to much lemon/lime juice it will disturb the carefully balanced flavors and you'll end up with a tart rather than tangy guacamole. For this batch I probably added 1/4 cup lime juice in addition to the 1/4 lemon juice I put in at the beginning and it turned out pretty good.
Slap it in a dish with some sprigs of cilantro as a garnish and you have a rather tasty, rather fancy looking guacamole, fit for just about any social gathering. This recipe makes about 2-3 cups of guacamole, depending on the size of your avocados, and the whole process takes only about 10-15 minutes. I usually serve it up with some white corn chips, and I usually don't take any leftovers home with me. Perfect.
*A word on choosing the right avocado:
A ripe avocado will be dark brown on the outside (as pictured above) and slightly soft to the touch. A firm squeeze should just start to squish it under your fingertips. Overripe avocados will be brown/black in color, mushy, and too easily squishable. They will make brownish guacamole and the flavor won't be as fresh. Underripe avocados will be more green in color, and firm to the touch. They won't blend into a creamy guacamole, but stay a little chunky. If you won't be making your guac for a few days, choose avocados that are more brown in color and yet slightly firm, as they will ripen in a matter of days.Labels: food
