I hate red or white onion in guacamole. Green (scallions) are acceptable since they’re mild and add visual appeal without leaving you with onion breath. Fresh garlic has no place here either. Lemon is not lime no matter what they call it here in Peru. Key limes are the best for guac, but others are acceptable. If you disagree with any of this we can still be friends, but we can’t eat guacamole together.
Guacamole:
2 avocados (must be ripe, but not overly mushy and starchy)
2 tomatoes (more fleshy than juicy ones)
2 limes, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
3 green onions, diced
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Directions: Cut avocado in half (not through pit – around pit), then twist to separate the two pieces. Whack the pit with a large kitchen knife and then pull out to remove the pit. Scoop flesh from avocado in a bowl and mash, or cross-hatch in the skin like a checker-board and then scoop. This will make the mashing easier.
Dice tomatoes and sieve or strain to remove excess juice. Add to avocado along with the lime juice, salt, and most (but not all) of the green onions and cilantro, stirring very gently. Taste and adjust seasoning (maybe a little more salt or more lime. A little fresh diced hot red pepper is nice too but not everyone likes it, and you usually serve guacamole with salsa anyway, so it’s not really necessary). Serve with tortilla chips, or make your own by cutting fresh corn tortillas into 6 or 8 triangles each (depending on diametre) and baking in a 350 degree oven until crisp, about 5-8 minutes (flip them over after about 4 minutes).
Fresh Pico de Gallo Tomato Salsa
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes, diced
1 red hot chili pepper, seeded and diced
pinch brown sugar (only if tomatoes are acidic. If they’re really sweet skip this)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (reserve a handful for garnish)
Strain the tomatoes in a large sieve and let them drain while you chop the chili pepper and measure the other ingredients into a large bowl. Add the tomatoes and stir gently. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with cilantro.
Cayenne salsa
6 fresh hot red chilies (cayennes or habaneros), seeded and diced
3 sweet red or orange bell peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 carrot, minced
1/2 tsp salt
juice of three limes
This is not your traditional salsa. It’s sweet and hot, and crunchy not smooth. Add a diced tomato or two to cut through the overpowering pepper flavour if you like. And it’s best served with grilled meat, not tortilla chips. As with almost everything Mexican-ish, you can garnish with cilantro if you want.
Direction: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir and adjust seasoning to taste.
Dried Fresno Chili Pepper Salsa
There’s a bit of a smokiness to this salsa, even though the chili pepper isn’t smoked. Maybe mine were a bit more burnt than dried…anyway, it’s kind of bitter too, so think about adding a pinch of brown sugar. And if you have tomatillos, grill a few, then dice them and throw them in. You’ll love yourself and your meal.5 dried Fresno chili peppers, seeds removed (you can save the seeds and grow your own Fresno peppers!)
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
3-4 tomatillos, husked and grilled, roughly chopped (optional)
Pour boiling water over chili peppers in a heat-proof bowl and weigh down with the bottom of a plate to completely submerge peppers in water. Soak 30 minutes or more, until soft. Drain, reserving a little of the water. Blend with remaining ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with grilled meat or refried beans and rice.
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