Guacamole
Guacamole
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Squeezer*
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 Avocados
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
- 1/2 Lime
- 1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese (optional)
- 1/2 Purple Onion (diced)
- 10 Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and slice the cherry tomatoes. Put aside.
- Skin and pit the avocados and put in a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime, and parmesan cheese (if using).
- Mash the mix.
- Add the onions and tomatoes and thoroughly incorporate into the guacamole.
Notes
Choosing The Right Avocado for Guacamole
If you want good guacamole, you need good avocados. Makes sense, right? This can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t know what to look for. Honestly, finding quality avocados in Japan is an uphill battle. They are overpriced, small, extremely unripe, or overripe.
Color
The skin color should be the first thing you look at. A bright green skin usually indicates that it’s not ripe. As the avocado matures it should turn darker, to a purple or black. Any blotches or dark spots in the color indicate a rotten place. Move on to the next one.
Touch
Color isn’t everything. Gently press on the avocado to see how it feels. If it’s very firm to a gentle pressure, it’s not ripe. You won’t be able to cut and pit it very easily, and it won’t taste very good. A ripe avocado will yield to your touch. An overripe one will feel mushy. Because touch is so very important, don’t buy avocados that are sealed in a package.
Premature
If you have bought an avocado that isn’t ripe, don’t put it in your refrigerator. Let it mature at room temperature. If you don’t have time for that, place the avocado in a paper bag. Generally it will mature in half a day to two days, depending on how unripe it is.
Overripe
If you cut open an avocado and find that it is overripe, with the flesh mushy and black, throw it out. Sadly, this happens. You either waited too long or you got unlucky at the supermarket. Worse things have happened. If I’m making guacamole, I make sure I have a few on hand just in case one is rotten inside. If none of them are rotten, you just end up with some extra guac. It’s a win-win situation.
Skinning
The easiest way to skin and pit a ripe avocado is to start by cut it lengthwise all the around. With the avocado in your hands, rotate the cut sections in opposite directions. This action should easily, and cleanly, separate the avocado into even halves, with the pit resting in one of them. Carefully, jab the butt end of your butters knife into the pit, right where the pit and avocado flesh meet. Apply some upward pleasure and the pit should pop right out. Do this over the trash can and save yourself the trip later. After the pit is out, you skin should peel away from the avocado with no effort. If it’s not peeling away, it means that avocado isn’t ripe. If it’s done right, you should end up full formed two halves in a bowl and no mess.
Quality Counts For Great Guacamole
Since there are only a few ingredients to this recipe, there is a lot of pressure for them to perform. For that reason, it’s paramount to use quality oil and spices to create a show stopping guacamole.
Salt & Pepper
As we already mentioned a number of times here; never skimp on quality extra virgin olive oil. Don’t substitute in virgin oil or a blended oil.
Use a quality salt and pepper. It really matters here.
As much as we love Kirkland products, their table salt doesn’t make the grade here. When the quality and taste of the salt really matter, we reach for Mother Salt (マザーソルト), which we can only find in Japan.
If you’re in the US, don’t fret. There are still plenty of options. Maldon Sea Salt looks like a great choice, but don’t be afraid to experiment with other salts. If you have a favorite high quality salt, comment below and let us know what it is.
With the black pepper, only freshly ground will do for guacamole. Pre-ground will work, but you won’t get that pop of flavor that comes with freshly ground pepper corns.
We have a great review here on the Peugeot pepper mill.
You will taste a difference and you will thank us for pushing the higher quality salt and pepper.
Cheese
The inclusion of Parmesan cheese is not traditional. It’s our own spin on the recipe. Parmesan really adds a bit of depth and sharpness to the flavor of the dish. If it’s done right, no one will even know it’s in there. As noted, it is optional. If you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or you don’t like cheese, just remove it. The guacamole will still be amazing.
All The Rest
The onions and tomatoes are there to add some color, texture, and taste. The raw purple onions add some nice bitterness. The cherry tomatoes give some acidity. The purple and reds compliment the green of the avocado. The raw vegetables also give some texture and chunkiness to the finished guacamole. The onions and tomatoes add so much, but ask so little.
Putting Your Guacamole Together
There are a few different ways you can mix your guacamole. You can use a fork or a masher if you want something chunky. If the avocado is ripe, a fork will make short work of it.
For something that is smooth and creamy, we recommend getting an immersion blender.
We use Breville. Immersion blenders are great if you can find enough use for them. Typically, they are a worthy investment if you plan to make homemade soups and dressing.
Make sure you add the onions and tomatoes after you mix, otherwise they we end up badly beaten and bruised by the fork, or completely obliterated by the immersion blender.
Guacamole Should Be Simple
One thing that should stand out about this recipe is that it’s really simple. We spent a few years trying to make our guacamole more deluxe and elaborate. We added more spices, more toppings, and spent a lot more time getting it all together. The end result was something that was harder to produce and not nearly as tasty. The big takeaway; sometimes less is more. Simple recipes can be simply delicious. There is no need to go out of the way to make guacamole harder than it should be.
When it’s kept simple the final result is an amazing guacamole that is sugar-free and carb-free. It’s much healthier alternative to store bought guac and it’s so easy to make. Avocados do have a high monounsaturated fat content. That’s good fat, in case you were wondering. It does pack on some calories though, so if you are being careful about your weight, you should limit how much you eat.
Make A Meal
Guacamole is just one part of a fantastic Mexican meal. Learn how to make a full Mexican dish with these other great recipes. All of them are low-carb, low-sugar, packed with protean, and full of amazing taste.
If you’re making guacamole, you NEED some traditional Mexican music. Those are the rules!