Monday, April 07, 2008

Guacamole-mole-mole-mole

(sorry no pics)

So take one avocado, or better, two, because this stuff is going to go fast. You want one that has turned really dark green (almost black) and is soft to the touch. Cut it in half, around the pit, then take a knife, whack the pit, and give it a twist to pull it out. Scoop out avocado with a spoon into a bowl. Add the juice of half a lime, (or a whole lime if you used two avocados), and mash it with a fork. That will help keep the avocado from turning really brown and gross. Then you can chop up some cilantro and garlic and mix that in. Or get all lazy like me and put them together in your food processor. Just don't chop the cilantro ahead of time, I find it gets brown really fast too. You need about 1/2 cup cilantro per avocado, prior to chopping it, and one clove of garlic per avocado. Then dice up 1/2 tomato per avocado. Then add salt, pepper, and some cumin or chili powder (which is mostly made of cumin anyway.) If you like it hot, add some hot sauce or something. You want to mash this all together with a fork to the desired consistency. I like it kinda lumpy. Have a taste. If you think it needs more of something (salt, cumin, lime, garlic, whatever) just go ahead and add it. Guacamole shouldn't be bland. Cover it with plastic, pressing the plastic down over the guacamole, and then put a second piece of plastic over the top, because if there is any air, it could turn pretty brown. You should refrigerate this for about an hour before you eat it, it tastes better when the flavours have a chance to merge. Eat it with Mexican food, or just with chips. It is good the next day too, but I don't think it will keep much longer than that. Not that I know for sure... it always gets eaten before then. I am guaranteeing you that this will be a big hit at your next party.

In other food-ish news, I have planted my garden. Very optimistic of me, I know. Not only do I have a black thumb, but I don't actually have a garden in my yard. Last year I had some herbs in a window box, which were pretty successful, although I grew them from bedding plants, not from seeds. But this year I have great plans on building some kind of raised bed at the bottom of Mount Nelson (what I call my back "yard") Eventually, I would like to terrace the whole thing. But we'll see. In addition to my complete and utter lack of growing skills, I am also short on landscaping skills.

Mwahahaha!