I first learned to make guacamole at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, where one of the activities was a cooking demonstration. Ever since, guacamole has been a regular party staple in our household. Who doesn’t like guacamole? Fresh and flavorful, guacamole is excellent all year round.
There’s room to play in making guacamole. Normally, I use a habañero pepper (about 1/2, deseeded), but you can also use serrano or jalapeño peppers, depending on your preference. Recently, we like using serrano peppers because they have a good balance of heat and flavor (David calls it “umami”). A few of my friends don’t like cilantro, in which case I’ll swap out cilantro for basil and make what I call “Mediterranean” guacamole. Although traditional guacamole uses yellow onions, sometimes I like to use red onions, which are sweeter. You can use heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes, depending of what looks best at the market. I like my guacamole crunchy, so you can definitely play with the ingredient ratios.
Here’s the basic mix as a guideline:
GUACAMOLE
- 3 ripe avocados, halved and pits taken out
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 serrano pepper, deseeded and minced finely
- 1/2 bunch of cilnatro, washed and chopped (**if you don’t like cilantro, substitute with about 1 cup of basil leaves, julienned)
- ~ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt
In a large bowl, scoop out all the avocado flesh. The trick I learned in Mexico is to cut the avocados in halves, take out the pits, and then just squeeze the flesh out with your hand (see photo below). Kind of messy, but this method is really easy.
See, works quite nicely.
Add all the rest of the ingredients:
Mix well and salt to taste. Transfer to a serving/dipping bowl.
eat. live. paleo. 
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