Home Cooks Online

A basic, great tasting guacamole recipe that’s perfect for game watching, snacking or for use as a condiment, by Dave Utrata.

Home Run Guacamole. Photo: D. Utrata

 I brought some homemade guacamole to a chili party recently and the general consensus was that it was definitely a “home run.”  That is, everyone liked it a lot!  There are certainly lots of guacamole recipes on the web, but this basic formula is not only a crowd-pleaser, after the first time you try this, you’ll probably develop a taste for modifications the next time you make a batch.  That way, your skill and renown will grow, all the time helping you establish “your” guacamole.  

 Home Run Guacamole

Ingredients

• 3 ripe avocados
• 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped coarsely
• 1 shallot
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Serrano chili peppers, diced
• 1 lime

Directions

1. Begin by slicing the avocados and scooping out the flesh into a large mixing bowl. 
2. Dice the shallot and add to the avocado, along with the tomato.
3. Mix these ingredients with a potato ricer, breaking up larger bits while keeping a few small chunks intact.
4. Add the salt, cilantro and chili peppers; mix these using your masher.  The consistency I went for was somewhere between coarse and creamy.
5. Roll the lime firmly back and forth under your palm on your cutting board.  Slice in half and squeeze the juice into the mix. 
6. Give the guacamole one more thorough mixing with the ricer.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least ½ hour before serving.
7. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy the accolades of the happy crowd!

The big key here is to find fresh ingredients.  The cilantro has to be fresh to provide the tangy zip you need.  I must have examined 50 avocados in my supermarket to find just the right three to use that evening.  The Roma tomatoes were chosen by feel, not color.  Also, the use of Kosher salt really seems to help; be sure and get some just to keep handy for critical additions that bring out the flavor of the mix, not to just make things salty.  Finally, you may want to later substitute red onion for the shallot, and try Jalapeno peppers instead of Serrano peppers.    My own next variation will use smoked peppers.  This recipe really is a good jumping off point for future cooking adventures.