Caine Nielsen • My Personal Guacamole Recipe

Any follower of mine knows that I don't consider myself chef or even a good cook, but one thing I like to make all the time, and in my opinion I have perfected is Guacamole. So, I have decided to write down the recipe, one so I can make it when I'm 80, and two, so yawl can make it too. Here it goes.

Ingredients

Instructions

The avocadoes really determine how much Guac' you end up making. One or two can make enough for topping tacos, five or six and some chips can cater a whole family. Choose wisely.

Feel the avocadoes

Avocadoes will be slightly squishy when ripe, enough to feel them flex under the peel. Keeping them in the fridge slows the ripening process a lot, which is great for keeping them fresh, but not for making guacamole. Pull them out of the fridge a few days before prep, and feel them to make sure they are ready.

Get a medium bowl ready

Enough to hold all the guac!

Peel the avocadoes

I find the best way is to use a large knife. Cut them in half along the short side (The belly). Pull them apart, exposing the pit, which normally sticks to one side. Tap into the pit with the knife, sticking it. Spin the knife to loosen the pit, making it easy to pull out. Discard the pit safely. (Or suspend over water to make your own plant!)

Kill the avocadoes

Squish out the yummy contents into the bowl with your hand on the rind. Try to get as much as possible, but make sure no pieces of the rind, especially the dimple which used to hold the stem.

You can save the rinds, pits, dimples, etc. to use as compost.

Get a spoon ready

Or some other mixing tool…

Make avocado paste

Now we need to turn the solid avocado contents into a slightly chunky paste. (Chunkiness dependent on preference) To do this, we can use any sort of spoon, or we can elect to use a blender or mixer for a more automated approach. Do this step before adding additional ingredients for the best texture.

Depending on how ripe the avocadoes are, they may be harder to mix, especially by hand. To help with this, I typically use olive oil. Add a small amount to start, and use as needed until it becomes easier to mix. In the past I have also used Mayonnaise here, however I only recommend using it if there is no other option available.

Spice it up

Now that we have our paste, we need to level it up into Guacamole.

First add Table Salt, a little to start, and more 'to taste'. Test the Guac' at each stage and add more as needed.

Add some Black Pepper 'to taste'. Enough to give it a bite, but not enough to darken it.

Mix in some Cayenne Pepper. Not enough to make it spicy (unless your into that sorta thing) but enough to add flavor.

Mix in the Cumin Powder. Starting with VERY little, and adding enough to add a very slight fragrance. (We're not making chili here)

Prepare the veggies

Cut up the tomatoes into varying sized cubes. Some around a half an inch, others up to an inch and a half. Save some larger slices to garnish.

Cut up some red and white onions into half inch cubes. It is important to keep these pieces small.

Mince some Garlic and Cilantro.

Mix in the veggies to the dip. Add more for a chunkier dip. Be cautious with the amount of onions and garlic, as they can dramatically alter and flavor and the breath of your party guests. Add some to start and more 'to taste'.

Don't forget to test the dip and add more seasons as needed.

Enjoy

And that is it! Your a 'Guac-lord'. Serve with chips, tacos, tequila, etc.

Browning

When avocadoes are exposed to oxygen they will start to brown (They are still safe to eat by the way) which is pretty unappealing to look at. To keep your guacamole green, keep it in an air tight container. I have had the best luck putting it into a Zip-Lock bag and squeezing the air out. The guac will stay in contact with the plastic and not the air.