What’s cool about this guacamole is that because of the salsa verde, it doesn’t darken (and look gross) after it’s been sitting out. We like to use “Frontera Salsa Verde” or “Desert Pepper Trading Company’s Salsa Del Rio”. Make as much as you want – for a crowd of six, you’ll need four avocados and one cup of salsa verde.

Avocados – Ripe or Black?

Avocados are tough. You bring home some rock hard avocados, wait patiently three or four days for them to ripen, cut ’em open, and uck! Black again. Avocados should be a beautiful shade of green inside without any black spots. It’s okay to buy your avocados hard – look for the “Haas” sticker on the avocado. (If the organic avocados aren’t too expensive, buy them because they’re usually better quality.) Let the avocados sit out on the kitchen counter just until the skin STARTS to get soft when you press it. Check the avocados everyday. Once they ripen, you can store them in the refrigerator for two or three days but not longer.

What You’ll Need: Serves 2

1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
Salt to taste

Optional:
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

Garnish: 1 finely diced plum tomato

What You’ll Do:

1. Using a paring knife, carefully cut open the avocados. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and put into a medium mixing bowl. Pour in the salsa, cilantro, and red onion if you’re using them.

2. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the avocado into the rest of the ingredients until it’s blended but still a little chunky. Taste to see if it needs salt. Spoon into a serving bowl. Using a serrated knife, dice the tomato and sprinkle on top of the guacamole.

To Serve: Put the guac bowl on a platter of corn chips, blue corn tortilla chips, or carrot and celery sticks.

Note: Taste your brand of salsa before using to make sure that it doesn’t taste too hot. If the guacamole is too spicy, add a little lime or lemon juice.

Tools:

Medium mixing bowl
Cutting board
Paring knife, serrated knife
Measuring spoons
Potato masher

By: Anne Vassal