Simply Guacamole

I read through forty Guacamole recipes in my files and did not find the one I make most often. This recipe is most versatile. Put a big scoop on a lettuce leaf, garnish with a couple of tomato wedges and you have a salad. Put it in a bowl and you have a dip. Use it as a garnish or topping for all your favorite Mexican dishes.

I have lime juice and salsa on hand most of the time, usually due to shopping at the local dented can store. Lime juice is not a real popular item, hence its availability. But I find that a ready supply lends itself to lots of cooking uses - homemade tartar sauce, salad dressings, Thai sauces and great limeade.

Salsa can be readily purchased at an economical price. It is more popular then ketchup! I like to pay $1 per pint. Of course, home canned salsa would be best, but we use so much of it. I think my oldest son depends on it for most of his vegetables. He could easily put away a pint a day!

SIMPLY GUACAMOLE

1 perfectly ripe avocado
1 Tbsp. Lime juice
1 Tbsp. of your favorite chunky salsa

Peel, seed and mash avocado.
Stir in lime juice and salsa.

Add a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce, if you want more of a bite.
Serve immediately.
OR
To store for up to 24 hours: Place plastic wrap over surface and press down gently to remove all air and refrigerate. When ready to serve, remove wrap and stir.

After all these years of preparing avocados, I learned something new from Alton Brown on Good Eats. After slicing all the way around the avocado lengthwise and twisting to separate the halves, whack the knife right into the pit and give it a twist. The pit slides right out! Now give the pit a sideways whack on the counter to loosen it from the knife.

Slice the avocado halves lengthwise through the flesh just to the skin. The perfectly ripe skin is just pliable enough that it will bend and peel right away from the fruit. No muss - no fuss! If you have a mess, the avocado is probably too ripe, but still edible. (As long as the flesh isn't brown or black.)

Peeling the avocado is where I run into trouble. A perfectly ripe slice of avocado is too tempting. Into my mouth it goes. If you like them, you should definitely consider buying more than one.

More avocado recipes to come...