Guacamole

It's hot.  Unbearably hot.  Unspeakably hot.  Much too hot to heat up the kitchen unless life depends on it.  So what better time to use an ingredient that doesn't need heating - the avocado? In part to beat the heat and in part because it's just delicious, we made a nice big batch of guacamole this week.  It's fresh and creamy and, maybe most important of all this week, cool.

Here's what I used: three avocados, two jalapeno peppers, the juice from two limes, a sweet onion, a bunch of cilantro, some cayenne pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

These ingredients form a solid "base" guacamole, which can then be jazzed up as you see fit.  If you like yours with pico de gallo or salsa or anything else mixed in, just mix in after the last step.

Start by opening up the avocados, scooping out the meat, and giving it a thorough mashing.

Next, chop up the onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.  I only used about half of the onion and it was plenty - and of course you can use red onion in place of sweet onion if you prefer.  As always, if you want more heat, leave the veins and seeds in the peppers.

Here's the last step: mix everything together.  Dump the chopped vegetables into the mashed avocado and mix them in, then add the seasonings and lime juice and keep stirring and adjusting until it's perfect.  Every avocado is a little different, so every batch of guacamole will need a somewhat different balance of seasonings.

Note that using plenty of smoked paprika can darken the color of the guacamole and even make it look a bit like it's browning prematurely - don't worry too much if this happens.  I love the smokiness of the flavor enough to overlook the color change.

And that's it!  Give it an hour or so in the fridge to let the flavors marry, then serve with plenty of chips, preferably along with some cold beers and/or sangria.

Recipe: Guacamole
Prep Time: 5-10 Minutes | Cook Time: None | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 Cups

Ingredients

• 3 Ripe Avocados
• 2 Jalapeno Peppers
• Juice of 2 Limes
• 1/2 large Sweet Onion (or Red Onion)
• 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Slice open avocados, scoop out flesh into a bowl, and mash thoroughly until few lumps remain.
2. Chop onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.  Add to mashed avocado and mix.
3. Add lime juice and seasonings, mix well, and adjust to taste.
4. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.