Super Bowl was a few Sundays ago, and then the Olympics began broadcasting, and now (at least here in Southern Cal), we’re facing rainy weather again – just one more excuse to call a friend (or two), dish up some nibbles, and park in front of your viewing screen and watch someone else exercise.
Guacomole is a perfect game day nibble. Not the kind bought at the store – no, homemade and fresh is the only way to go. It’s a little bit chunky with diced peppers and chopped cilantro and onion, and a little bit smooth because, well, that’s what avocados do. And then there’s the explosion of flavor in your mouth – citrus, heat, and bright tang, coupled with salt and crunch (from the tortilla chips, of course!). And it’s easy to do!
Grab a big bowl, and add all your ingredients: avocados seeded and scooped out of their skin; poblano pepper roasted in a very hot oven for 15 minutes or so, then peeled and seeded and diced; chopped onion and fresh cilantro; lemons and limes (just the juice!); and then your seasonings – kosher salt (easy does it because you’ll be dipping into your guacomole with (usually) salty tortilla chips, peppers (ancho, chipotle, cayenne, and black – any combination thereof), onion and garlic powders (if you like), and my one secret ingredient – ground cumin (not so secret anymore, I guess!). Take a potato masher (or a fork if you don’t have a masher), and mash. And that’s it! Grab a tortilla chip to sample your guacomole, and then correct your seasonings from there. And if you don’t eat it all in one sitting, it will keep for a day or so, covered in your fridge; just stir it up to mix in the lemon and lime juices before serving.
This recipe is so forgiving. While there’s no substitute for the avocados and citrus juice (lemon or lime will do fine in a pinch), there are other liberties you can take if you must. No poblano? Try a jalapeño or hatch pepper, or (if you have powdered peppers), leave out the roasted pepper completely; or use chopped pickled jalapeño. Don’t have all the varieties of ground chile peppers? Use generic chili pepper. No fresh onion? Use the powdered stuff! And vice versa, no powdered onion? Use fresh! And it’s all so healthy.
Who would have thought eating while others exercise could be so guilt-free? ¡Buen provecho!
Guacomole
Equipment
- potato masher
Ingredients
- 2 avocados
- 2 lemons
- 2 limes
- ¼ c fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ red onion, chopped into small dice
- 1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, then chopped
- ½ t Kosher salt
- ½ t black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ t ancho chili pepper, ground
- ½ t chipotle chili pepper, ground
- 2 t cumin, ground
- ½ t garlic powder
- ½ t onion powder
- ¼ t cayenne pepper
To serve
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Slice avocados in half, remove pits, and scoop flesh from skin into large bowl.
- To avocados, add juice of lemons and limes.
- Add the rest of the ingrdients to avocado mixture in bowl.
- Using a potato masher, mash avocado ingredients together.
- Taste mixture using tortilla chip to sample; adjust seasonings according to taste.
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