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Americans have become obsessed with avocados in recent years. Especially with guacamole.
According to the California Avocado Commission, approximately 81 million pounds of avocados are consumed in the United States during Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican-American culture held every May 5th.
However, some guacamole can be disappointing, being bland, watery, or lacking in creaminess. So what’s the difference between ordinary guacamole and great guacamole?
“The conversation has to start with the avocado itself,” says Julian Rodarte, chef and co-owner of Beto & Son in Dallas and guacamole connoisseur.
There are hundreds of varieties of avocado, but only a few are commonly available in the United States. According to Rodarte, Mexican avocados (particularly those from the Michaocan region of Mexico) are the type of avocados that have the highest oil content and are the best for cooking.
Ivy Stark, chef and owner of New York City restaurants Mexology and BKLYNwild, also recommends Hass avocado for guacamole. Hass he avocados, which come from California and other regions, are generally denser, creamier, and more flavorful than larger avocados. Avocados with more water in their pulp break down faster, especially when blended with other ingredients.
To check the ripeness of a fruit (we all know an avocado is a fruit, right?), Rodarte suggests looking for two indicators. first contact. By pressing lightly on the skin, “you can tell right away if it’s soft.” Next, break off the small stem at the top of the avocado and look at the small belly button-like circle underneath. If it’s bright green, the avocado isn’t ripe, and if it’s brown, it’s overripe. I am.
If you need your avocado to ripen quickly, place it in a brown bag or other container with the banana and let it sit for half a day to a day or two. The natural gas released by bananas accelerates the ripening of avocados.
When it comes to seasonings, “I eat guacamole to enjoy the flavor of avocado,” says Rodarte, so she recommends being thoughtful and using a light hand. He prefers high-quality sea salt, which is “crunchy and melts into the skin without interfering with the creaminess.”
I also feel that lime or lemon juice alone is too strong and interferes with the delicate flavor of the avocado. He usually adds orange juice as well, but sometimes he uses just orange juice because he likes the natural balance of sweetness and acidity.
Rodarte recommends mashing the avocado with the seasonings until creamy, then mixing in the other ingredients to keep the guacamole from falling apart and becoming watery.
Both Rodarte and Stark recommend using a mortar and pestle to crush avocados. Rodarte aims for “the consistency of whipped butter,” while Stark describes her ideal consistency as “soft and thick.” If you don’t have a mortar and pestle in your kitchen, Rodarte says a fork will work, too.
Next, add the juice and the fleshy chopped tomatoes with seeds removed, mix, and it is recommended to finely chop the white or red onions. He adds finely chopped or chiffon-boiled coriander, but says, “A little goes a long way,” so be careful when adding this powerful herb.
Stark believes cilantro and jalapeño are essential to a good guacamole. Rodarte also likes the spiciness of chili peppers in guacamole, but prefers Fresnos or Serranos over jalapeños.
Rodarte says the base of the molcajete, or mortar, is a “Mexican cast iron pot,” and the taste of different ingredients changes over the years.
“There’s nothing better than a dish made with an abuelita mortar and pestle and gradually seasoned over the years,” he says.
Rodarte also incorporates non-traditional ingredients. He used chili crunch as a finishing touch, stirred it into a yuzu ponzu sauce, and added a few drops of toasted sesame oil to some versions of guacamole.
Stark puts a different spin on guacamole by adding tropical fruits and berries. She also likes to make versions with shrimp, crab, and lobster, and at Mexology she serves the waku with pomegranate seeds and toasted pepitas.
When it comes to preserving guacamole without browning, both chefs recommend pressing plastic wrap directly onto the guacamole to minimize oxidation. Rodarte also suggests brushing a little oil on the top of the guacamole to prevent it from getting exposed to air.
If you store your wok in the fridge and it gets browned, scrape a thin layer off the top before eating, Stark says.
If you know you’ll be making guacamole to eat later, refrain from adding lime juice to the recipe. I mix everything together, pour lime juice over the top, use it to “seal” the top of the wack, and stir just before serving. The proportions are still perfect and browning is avoided.
Consider serving guacamole in a hollowed-out avocado shell. It may wobble a little, but placing the shell on a bed of tortilla chips will make it more stable.
The following guacamole recipe was inspired by Rodarte’s tips.
classic guacamole
material:
2 ripe Hass avocados (preferably Mexican)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1/3 cup chopped red or white onion
1 Roma tomato, cored, seeded and chopped, about 1/2 cup
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped serrano or Fresno peppers with seeds
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped fresh coriander
direction:
Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed, and use a knife to cut the flesh of the avocado, including the skin, in one direction, then crosswise in a grid pattern. Use a spoon to scoop out all the pulp into a medium-sized bowl. Mash with a fork or use a mortar and pestle. Stir in salt, pepper, and citrus juice.
Add the onion, tomato, chili pepper, and cilantro and gently fold into the avocado until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Guacamole can be served with tortilla chips or used in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and other dishes.
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Katie Workman is a regular contributor to The Associated Press about food. She is the author of her two cookbooks, “Dinner Solved!”, which focus on her family cooking. and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at her https://themom100.com/. Contact her at Katie@themom100.com.
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For more AP food coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/recipes.
