Guacamole

Guacamole is one of those things it should be impossible to get wrong. Mash and season a ripe avocado, serve with tortilla chips – the shortest recipe ever.

And yet, there is so much lousy guacamole out there, it seems worth writing a few words on the subject.

In my view, it’s more about the don’ts than the do’s:

• Don’t buy pots of long-life “guacamole” in the supermarket chiller section. Guacamole is not meant to have a long life – anything that does isn’t guacamole.
• Don’t use under-ripe avocados – they won’t mash. (Corner/convenience stores are often a better place to buy avocados than supermarkets, especially if you want to use them that day.)
• Don’t add anything to guacamole aside from salt, lime juice, a bit of crushed garlic (and maybe some chopped coriander). Do not add: raw onion, chopped tomato, minced green pepper, freshly ground black pepper, balsamic vinegar, fresh chillies, or cumin powder.
• Don’t put the pit into the dish to keep your guacamole from going brown. It doesn’t work, for one thing. If you make your guacamole in advance, cover it with cling film pressed lightly against the surface to prevent it from oxidizing.

Guacamole
(makes about a cup)

• 2 ripe avocados (Hass – the black-skinned ones – are best)
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• coarse salt, to taste
• juice of a small lime
• 1 Tb chopped coriander, optional

1. Cut the avocadoes in half and remove the pits. Scoop the flesh into a bowl.
2. Add garlic, some salt, half the lime juice and coriander (if using). Mash roughly with a fork to combine.
3. Adjust the amount of salt and lime to your taste.
4. Serve with plain tortilla chips.

Tags: avocados, dairy-free, gluten-free, Mexican food, Tex-Mex, vegan, vegetarian