Guacamole Picante
4 CUPS
There are many recipes for guacamole—I like mine fairly well seasoned. The important factor is the ripeness of the avocados, of course: They should yield to the touch but not have turned brown. You can serve guacamole with packaged natural fried corn chips, or with store-bought corn or flour tor-tillas that you have fried yourself.
- 3/4 cup diced red onion (1/4-inch pieces)
- 4 avocados (about 2 pounds)
- 3 to cloves garlic, chopped (1 tablespoon)
- 1 very ripe tomato (about 4 ounces), halved, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
- 4 scallions, cleaned and minced fine (2/3 cup)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 small julapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander or Chinese parsley)
- Packaged corn chips; or fresh or frozen tortillas, prepared according to package instructions
Rinse the chopped red onion in a sieve under cold water, and drain. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and spoon the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash it coarsely with a fork. Add the onion, garlic, tomato, scallions, salt, Tabasco, olive oil, lime juice, and julapeno pepper. Stir well and imbed the avocado pits in the mixture. Cover tightly with plastic wrap so that it lies directly on the guacamole and set-aside until serving time.
At serving time, remove the pits and stir in some of the cilantro. Arrange the guacamole in an attractive serving dish, sprinkle the remaining cilantro on top, and serve with chips.
