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1
Make the chile paste: Grind the onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and salt together in a molcajete until all the ingredients are very finely ground.
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2
Alternatively, use a fork to mash all the ingredients to a paste in a wide hardwood bowl.
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3
Cut each avocado in half, working the knife blade around the pit.
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4
Twist the halves to separate them and flick out the pit with the tip of the knife.
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5
Fold a kitchen towel in quarters and hold it in the palm of your non-knife hand.
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6
Rest an avocado half cut side up in your palm and make 3 or 4 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts through the avocado flesh down to the skin, without cutting through it.
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7
Make 4 crosswise cuts in the same way.
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8
Scoop the diced avocado flesh into the molcajete.
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9
Repeat with the remaining avocado halves.
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10
Gently fold the avocado into the paste, keeping the avocado in as large pieces as possible.
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11
Add the tomato, cilantro, and onion and fold in gently.
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12
Check and add salt if necessary.
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13
Serve immediately, right from the molcajete (or bowl), with the chips and tortillas.
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14
VARIATIONS
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15
Guacamole with Seafood (Guacamole con Mariscos)
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16
1/4 pound lump crabmeat (preferably jumbo), picked over for shells and cartilage (about 1/2 cup)
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1/4 pound cooked peeled baby shrimp, left whole, or larger shrimp, cut into small pieces
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3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
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2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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2 teaspoons chipotle adobo puree
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22
Salt to taste
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Toss all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
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Let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
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25
Prepare the guacamole, adding the marinated seafood salad at the end along with the tomato, cilantro, and onion.
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26
Guacamole with Fruit (Guacamole can Frutas)
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27
Diana Kennedy, the Julia Child of Mexican cookbook authors, and Maria Dolores Torres-Izabal, a dear friend and author of The Mexican Gourmet, introduced me to guacamole with fruit.
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28
This is a specialty of two states in central MexicoMorelos and Guanajuato.
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The contrast between the spicy guacamole and the sweet and juicy fruits is delicious.
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30
The dish should always look a little over the topuse the most beautiful, ripe fruits you can find and as many of the embellishments as you like.
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31
Prepare the, guacamole, omitting the cilantro entirely.
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32
Gently fold in 12 black grapes, halved; 12 green grapes, halved; and 1 cup peeled and diced ( 1/4-inch) peaches or mango.
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33
Taste the guacamole and add additional chile or salt to balance the sweetness of the fruits.
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34
Pile the guacamole into martini glasses or half-coconut shells and decorate with any or all of these garnishes: sliced peeled peaches, pomegranate seeds, toasted coconut flakes, and/or raspberries.
