Guacamole Ole!

For a Greek girl, I've been told that I make a pretty good and authentic guacamole.  That comment came from friends who were born in a Spanish speaking country.  That is quite a compliment!  Honored and blushing.

This is what I do for my guacamole.  First, I make sure that I have time to prepare it a few hours ahead.  I usually make it the night before.  This gives the garlic time enough to mellow and have a flavor party with the other ingredients.  Don't expect to get the same flavor intensity if you don't give this recipe time to do its thing.

Despina's Guacamole Ole
2 Haas avocados*, cut in half, pit removed and meat scooped into a bowl
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (no big chunks)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and finely chopped
generous pinch of salt
1/4 cup finely diced fresh tomatoes

Mash the avocados with a fork so that you have some chunks still left. Mix in the lime juice then the remaining ingredients. Stir in the salt and taste. Make sure that there is enough salt or the guacamole will not taste as it should. The salt really does punctuate the other flavors.

Store, covered, in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. If you miss this step, the garlic will not mellow out and the flavors of all the ingredients will not have time to marry.

I serve with a side of sour cream and one of salsa (your favorite store-bought will do). I do like Tostitos organic yellow corn and blue corn tortilla chips with this. I really think that these chips are exceptional!

How do I pick the perfect avocado?  Well, you can't pick it--it's already picked--but you can identify a ripe one.  Here's how I do it.  Touch the avocado, gently applying pressure with your fingertips.  If it gives a little and doesn't have too many dark marks on the skin, thats the one!  If it gives too easily, it's over the hill.  If there are a lot of dark marks or blemishes, they correspond with fibrous dark places on the fruit (inside) which appear as the avocado ripens.

*if the avocados are smaller than usual, use three