Cinco de Mayo has become a time to celebrate Mexican culture and what better way to celebrate then to indulge in their delicious cuisine, such as; salsas, enchiladas and my favorite guacamole. Guacamole was created around the 16th century by the Aztecs, but since then it has been embraced by the United States.
Guacamole can be dressed up or dressed down, but the best way is with merely a few ingredients that are at their peek of freshness. All guacamole starts with the basic ingredients of avocados, limejuice, cilantro, tomatoes, jalapeno and red onion.
As a judge in a guacamole taste off I was excited about the opportunity to taste various recipes. Although the chefs had added a variety of ingredients, like Worsteschire, Tobasco, crab meat, pineapple, in the end the judges agreed the winner was the guacamole with the perfect combination of the basic ingredients: avocado, jalapeno, tomato, lime, cilantro and garlic.
Celebrate this Cinco de Mayo with fresh homemade guacamole and pomegranate guacamole. The trick is to know cooking or rather the prepping secrets.
The secrets to great guacamole:
- Buy avocados that are slightly firm and can ripen at home (allow for two to three days for the avocados to ripen), because when they are overly ripe at the store there is a greater chance they will be severely bruised.
- Remove seeds from tomatoes if it’s possible. The orange color of the seeds will tint the color of your guacamole to a dull green.
- Remove seeds from the jalapenos unless you want the guacamole to be extra spicy.
- Keep the onions and garlic really small. Onions are unpleasant to bite into when they are raw. By keeping them small they will blend in with the guacamoles creaminess and enhance the subtle flavor.
- Use a Molcajete mortar and pestle. An ancient technique of mixing in a stone bowl with a stone masher, it helps break down the ingredients into a fine paste.
- The more acid i.e. lime juice you add to the guacamole the longer it will stay green.
- If you are making it ahead of time keep the avocado pits in the finished guacamole until right before you serve it.
- Use plastic wrap and lightly press it to the top of the guacamole so that you prevent the oxygen from oxidizing (turn the avocado brown) the avocados.
- Make the guacamole when you’re ready to eat it, prep the ingredients ahead of time.
- Double a recipe for a party, people love guacamole.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Great Guacamole Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ea Haas Avocados (black exterior)
- 1 Tomato, diced
- 1/8 Red Onion, small diced
- 2 Lime cut in half
- ½ each jalapeno, small dice
- 3 pinches of salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cilantro, dice
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pinch of pepper
Directions
In a bowl a bowl mix avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, lime, salt and pepper until fully incorporated.
Pomegranate Guacamole Recipe
This recipe was inspired while I was on a trip to Arizona. It’s not traditional and it sounds bizarre but it’s delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 ea Haas Avocados (black exterior)
- 1 Tomato, dice
- ¼ cup of pomegranate seeds
- 2 Limes cut in half juiced
- ½ each jalapeno, small dice
- 3 pinches of salt
- 1 teaspoon Cilantro, dice
- 1 pinch of pepper
Directions
In a bowl a bowl mix avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, lime, salt and pepper until fully incorporated.
