37 replies to this topic

[mongo_jones]

this could go as is in the clueless questions thread:

if i mash up an avocado and season it have i made guacamole?

[guajolote]

add some chopped onions and peppers and lime juice and you have.

some people like tomato. i don't.

i think guac is better after sitting for an hour or so.

there are also many different variations.

[Stone]

It may depend on what you season it with. It could be like a Cobb Salad.

[mongo_jones]

i added salt, pepper, some olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice. i don't know if it was guacamole but it tasted good and disappeared almost before it was set down. now i wish to explore this brave new world of squishy green fruit.

[guajolote]

i added salt, pepper, some olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice. i don't know if it was guacamole but it tasted good and disappeared almost before it was set down. now i wish to explore this brave new world of squishy green fruit.

technically that is guacamole.

from the nahuatl:
guaca (Ahuacatl) is avocado
mole (mOlli) is sauce

did you have mexican or california avocadoes? i think the mexican ones are much better.

i've also had a really thin guacamole that is diluted with tomatillos. delicious. i also like a litle cilantro in it.

[Jaymes]

You'll get as many recipes for guacamole as you have folks that can hold an avacado in their hand.

I hesitate to go into the Spanish too much because mine is really not that good. But, I know that if I begin, Cristina or one of the other 'maestras' here will straighten out the parts that I didn't get quite right.

The 'mole' in guacamole comes from the verb 'moler' which means 'to grind' or to mix up. So, it sorta means 'sauce.' Guacamole is a sauce made from ground up or smashed or mixed avocados. If you mashed your guacamole and added nothing but salt and lime, you still made guacamole.

Often I do just make the basic: avocado, lime, salt.

But after years of trying, experimenting, stealing others' recipes, this is the one that I like the best, and the one which garners me the most compliments:

(NOTE: Some folks say that adding tomatoes makes it 'watery.' The trick is to remove the tomato water before you add it to the mashed avocados. I cut out the core, and then "shake hands" with the tomato to remove the water. Then I cut it in half and lay the cut tomato on a paper towel for a few minutes to drain even more moisture. My guacamole is never watery.)

Guacamole

1 large avocado, just soft to the touch, not mushy
1 large, ripe, flavorful tomato, water removed, meat only, chopped
1 small white or yellow onion, chopped (or half a large one)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 T salsa de jalapeno (see below), or to taste
juice of half a lime

Selecting the avocado: many people much prefer Hass. Obviously that depends entirely on where you live and what varieties are available to you. Just be sure you select a flavorful variety that you like. If they're hard when you buy them, close them up in a paper bag for a day or so.

Slice the avocado in half, lengthwise. Hold the half with the pit in one palm and with the other hand, whack a sharp knife into the pit. You should now be able to easily lift and twist out the pit. Give the knife with the pit stuck to it another whack on the side of the sink, and the pit will drop. No muss no fuss.

Now slice your avocado halves lengthwise once again. This will give you four long wedges. Starting with the narrow end, you will most likely be able to peel them just as though you were peeling a banana. Place the peeled quarters on a dinner plate and with a fork or potato masher, mash the pulp until it is "smoothly chunky." If you have a molcajete, obviously you're using that and you already know all about this and don't need any more directions from me.

For the rest of us, add the remainder of the ingredients onto your mashed avocados and stir to combine well.

Taste for seasonings: salt, "heat," lime, and adjust where needed.

Many people put cilantro in guacamole but I usually don't. For me, cilantro has a very strong flavor and I think it overpowers the avocado. Also, I invariably serve my own homemade cooked, red "table salsa" alongside, and it has lots of cilantro in it. People can (and do) add some of that to the guacamole if they want cilantro flavor.

A few more thoughts: Some people add a pinch of sugar; they claim it brings out the flavor of the avocados and smooths the bite of the chiles.

If it's going to be awhile before you serve it, here are some tricks to keep the top from going brown. Remember that it is contact with the air that darkens the avocados, so anything you do to reduce that will reduce the darkening. After the whole thing is ready and in the serving bowl, spread a very thin layer of mayo over the top, and then right before serving, stir it in. Or do the same thing with the lime juice. Don't add it until the end, squeeze it over, rotating the bowl until all the dip is covered with the juice. Stir it in just before serving. But what I usually do is to take some Saran/Glad/Whatever Wrap and place it directly on top of the guacamole , pressing and smoothing until there are no air bubbles. This also works with cut avocado halves. (To me, the "pit" thing is just silly. It's never worked for me and it looks dumb and makes me feel as though if people see it there they'll consider me to be the sort of person that'll believe anything and is probably still looking for Madam Cleo to give me romance tips. So I eschew it.)

~~~~~~

Salsa de Jalapeño

6 whole pickled jalapeños (buy them in cans - Herdez sells them - among other brands - the label should say something like "Jalapeños en Escabeche" or similar)
1/2 c tomatoes (I usually just use canned for this)
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Remove stems from peppers. Put whole peppers, tomatoes and garlic salt into your food processor or blender and process until ingredients are thoroughly blended, but do not pulvarize seeds.

Note: This is not a "salsa" like you're accustomed to - it's more like nothing but ground up pickled jalapenos. It's really hot - much too hot for most folks to use for dips, etc., but it's great for flavoring foods. You won't use anywhere near all of it for the guacamole, so store the rest in a jar in the fridge. Use it when preparing other foods like roasts, soups, eggs, etc.

And please don't try making my guacamole without it. It only takes a minute and it's just not as good and you'll be upset with me.

[tanabutler]

It may not be classic guacamole, but mine includes: Hass avocados (only!), tomatos, lime juice, a little salt, cilantro, and sometimes minced jalapeños. I can't do raw onions due to a bizarre condition that makes my mouth burn for up to two days. And I usually throw in some kind of salsa or Buffalo chipotle sauce.

Sometimes, if I have a big crowd, I will dump jars of chunky (Southwestern, with corns and beans) salsa straight into the mushed up avocados. But that's usually for football crowds. It doesn't pretend to be real guacamole.

[mongo_jones]

i did not check my avocado for port of origin. but california was mexico once and may be again.

i am philosophically opposed to putting anything in guacamole that would call attention away from the unctuousness of the avocado--maybe a little something for some crunch--i could see that. but tomato? i should add that i made some salsa as well--diced hothouse tomatoes, some red onion, chopped jalapeno, one chopped thai chilli, lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro. the simple guacamole was a nice textural and flavor(al?) counterpoint.

[cristina]

Regarding the country of origin of avocados: if you're in California, Hawaii, or Florida, you're not going to find Mexican avocados. Although Uruapan, Michoacán and the area surrounding that city is the Hass avocado capital of the world, US government regulations prevent Mexican avocados from being imported into California, where Hass avocados are also grown in abundance, and into the other two aforementioned states, where there is also avocado production.

The law prohibiting the importation of Mexican-grown Hass avocados into the USA began in 1914 and lasted until 1997, when 13 northeastern states began receiving shipments of our avocados--but only during the months November through February each year!

As of 2001, 19 states allowed the importation of Mexican avocados. The allowed season for imports is currently October 15-April 15 and encompasses 31 states.

How many Mexican avocados are imported into the USA? In 1999, the import wholesale value was $17.6 million dollars. In 2003, it was $51.9 million wholesale dollars. In the first nine months of 2004, it reached more than $44 million wholesale dollars.

Folks, that's a lot of guacamole.

Cristina

[Ron Johnson]

In Oaxaca they also use garlic. I like that.

[Lippy]

I use avocado, tomato, lemon juice or lime if I have it, onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro. Sometimes I cheat by using a hot sauce instead of the jalapeno.

I always de-seed tomatoes the way Jaymes described, even when using them in salads and if I'm feeling elegant, peel them first by cutting an X in the bottom and dropping them into boiling water for a few seconds so the skin slips right off, without cooking the flesh. I like to keep the avocado a little chunky.

[Orik]

i did not check my avocado for port of origin. but california was mexico once and may be again.

Just keep in mind that if you've got your hands on one of those smooth, fair skinned types, nothing good is going to come out of it.

[tanabutler]

i did not check my avocado for port of origin. but california was mexico once and may be again.

Just keep in mind that if you've got your hands on one of those smooth, fair skinned types, nothing good is going to come out of it.

Wise words.

You want the dark, bumpy skin. Well, and for your avocados, too, Mongo.

[cristina]

Yes, those dark bumpy-skinned ones are the Hass. Sometimes we get a mini-Hass variety from Michoacán that looks the same and tastes the same, but the avocado is about 2" long and the pit is the size of a bing cherry.

Then there's another variety that we get once in a blue moon (or as we say in Spanish, cada venida del obispo (every time the Bishop arrives). It's even smaller than the mini-Hass--about the size of a fig--the skin is black, the stone is tiny, and the flesh is smoother and more unctuous than even the Hass. It's possible to eat the peel, although I never have.

When I was in France the last time, I was interested to see that the Hass avocados in Carrefour and other markets were imported from Israel.

Those big Florida smooth-skin avocados are awful. What are they used for?

I'd be interested to know what avocados are selling for up there North of the Border.

[Lippy]

Fresh Direct (a home-delivery supermarket) is offering Hass avocados for $1.79 each or a "value pack" of 6 for $9.49.