The Joy of Guacamole

The past two weeks, I have been reconnecting with my Texas friends via Facebook and getting a little homesick for all things Spring in Austin. Right now, it's Bluebonnet season and everyone is posting family pictures of their families nestled in the colorful blooms that grow along the roadside. In case you're not from the area, Bluebonnet photographs are a grand Spring tradition and one I kind of miss. People are already headed to Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls to pick the delectable strawberries, feed the farm animals, pick a bouquet of colorful flowers and enjoy a scoop or two of homemade strawberry ice cream. Another item I miss is the condiments like salsa, guacamole, queso, salsa verde, Tomatillo sauce, Boom-Boom sauce (served on my favorite Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom at Chuy's), smashed black bean or pinto refried beans and anything roasted. Oh my goodness, Austin has some great TexMex chow made with fresh, local ingredients. Try as I might, I cannot say we have a good Mexican restaurant in our area, even with the addition of Chuy's in Raleigh. The atmosphere and the food, for some reason, cannot be duplicated. I am often fond of saying, "Don't trust guacamole east of the Mississippi!" and the reason for that is the avocado. Guacamole has to be made with fresh, buttery soft, slight give to the touch avocados that are not easily found on the east coast. I remember sharing my guacamole recipe with my Mom and she said, "It does not taste like what you made when we visited.". Yup. It was the avocado. I tend to find avocadoes here to be hard and need to be placed in a brown paper bag to sit and ripen on my kitchen counter for a few days. But the taste is not the same because there is a bit of bitterness that comes with a slightly unripe avocado that was probably picked too early, but still sellable.
So in honor of our Texas roots (our son Josh is our one true Texan!), I am sharing my recipe for guacamole. This has been my staple recipe that I might spice up a bit now and again with different ingredients like roasted salsa, finely chopped cilantro or lime but not often do I deviate from this base recipe. The freshness has yet to disappoint and the recipe is frequently requested.
We serve guacamole with chips, on tacos, burritos, fajitas, Mexican pizza, quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, chopped veggies, pita chips or just scooped from the bowl with a spoon. YUM! And one of the most bizarre yet surprisingly delicious combos I have tried is courtesy of Thundercloud Subs in Austin. They make a Texas Tuna sub consisting of fresh albacore tuna salad, avocados, jalapeno peppers and cheese on a fresh whole wheat sub roll. I am already drooling. And yes, when I make tuna salad at home, I tend to add a bit of guacamole - bizarre but flavorful and a reminder of our time in the Lone Star State.
Life is too short not to enjoy the yummification of homemade guacamole! I hope you will enjoy this recipe with your family and friends rather soon. I think there is some basketball game on Monday night and also some golf thing in Augusta that people like to gather to watch. This will be a great addition to any potluck soiree.
 
Guacamole:

3 ripe avocados
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (red onion is divine)
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (I leave the seeds   intact but for a milder taste, remove seeds)
1 T lemon juice
1 t salt
Freshly ground pepper

Cut each avocado in half and remove seed from avocado. Scoop out pulp into bowl. Mash until avocado is desired consistency. Add chopped tomato, onion, pepper, lemon juice and salt. Stir gently until well blended. Grind pepper on top.

***Many people have been surprised that I do not add cilantro to my recipe and the reason is cilantro is a love it or hate it ingredient. Please feel free to have a side dish of finely chopped cilantro on hand that your guests may sprinkle on top.***

If you have a favorite TexMex condiment recipe, please feel free to share in the comments section. I am always searching for new recipes to joyfully test in my family kitchen. Y'all enjoy, now!