NATIONAL DAY/RECIPE: NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY (WITH MY FAMOUS RECIPE!)

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NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY (WITH MY FAMOUS RECIPE!)

Tomorrow is National Guacamole Day and I figured I should give you a heads-up for it by sharing my excellent and very easy recipe for the delicious dish, so you’ll be all ready to celebrate! Am I right or am I right?

A serving of the festive finished product. Photo by Karen Salkin.

A serving of the festive finished product. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The weird thing is that I’m not a fan of avocados. But I do love me some good guacamole, which is a more recent development in the scheme of my life. Having grown-up in Brooklyn, I never even heard of the dish! Or the fruit. (Yes, avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable! Trust me, I know. After the recipes is the funny reason I learned that fact when I was in my twenties.)

About a year ago, I happened upon a recipe for guacamole, which I made once. And it was delish. I had forgotten all about it, since I didn’t often cook before the pandemic, but in the past six plus months in lockdown, I’ve had to make everything for Mr. X and me. (We had a delivery one time, and then did drive-thrus and pick-ups the few times we left the house for the market. Other than that, every single dish has been made by yours truly. I could work in a restaurant at this point!)

So, without wanting to risk my life by running to a store whenever I need an ingredient or two, I’ve had to adjust all my recipes to fit what might be on hand. And in this case, the simpler one is equally delicious to the fancier one! Perhaps even better!

So, here are both my guacamole recipes, with the easier one first, (which is the way it always should be, in my opinion.)

KAREN’S BASIC EASY GUACAMOLE, TWO WAYS

INGREDIENTS FOR THE EASIER WAY

the “meat” of 3-5 medium avocados, (which means peeled with the pit removed)
juice of one lemon or lime, or just an equal amount of bottled lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon any salt
1/2 medium onion, diced (any color, but red, really purple, are the most fun)
1/2 can of diced tomatoes, drained and cut up a bit more
1 clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS FOR THE EASIER WAY

All you need for the easy  guacamole recipe. Photo by Karen Salkin.

All you need for the easy guacamole recipe. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Scoop the avocado pulp into a bowl, and mix with the lemon/ lime juice. Mash.

Add the salt.

Fold in the onions, tomatoes, and garlic.

Let it sit at room temperature for one hour before enjoying.

Okay, in case you’re desperate for the fancier way, here is that recipe. But, I swear, the easy one is the best guac I’ve ever had!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FANCIER WAY

the “meat” of 3-5 medium avocados, (which means peeled with the pit removed)
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced (any color, but red are the most fun)
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 any kind of regular (not cherry) tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS FOR THE FANCIER WAY

The fancier recipe.

The fancier recipe.

Place the scooped avocado pulp in a bowl.

Add the lime juice and gently toss to coat the avocado.

After all the avocados have been coated, drain the leftover juice and reserve it for later.

Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash.

Fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic.

Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice.

Let it sit at room temperature for one hour before enjoying.

 A plate of tomatoes and avocados.

A plate of tomatoes and avocados.

Now, as promised above, here’s why I know the avocado classification. (It’s actually considered to be a berry! A large one, but a berry nonetheless.) In my twenties, I had a vegetarian roommate. At some point, she decided to be a fruitarian. (I know—that’s very odd.) All she would eat is fruit. Duh. So for variety, she feasted on tomatoes and avocados, which felt more like vegetarian offerings to her. She refused to listen to any of us who told her how unhealthy of a diet that was.  Then one day, an older British gent suitor of mine took her to lunch with us. And at one of the most famous, expensive, show business places, to boot. He was aghast when she ordered just a plate of tomatoes and avocados. As she explained her crazy fruitarian diet to him, he let out a loud hearty laugh. And then, to both my horror and pleasure, he bellowed, “So that’s why your skin is so bad!  Your diet is all acid!” That did it. It was just a couple of days until she gave up that nonsense. But I think of that episode every time I look at an avocado!

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