Guacamole Dip

Great guacamole can be made at home, even in the Northern Latitudes, for you northerners! One of the best things about living in Florida on the water, is that there are lots of cool restaurants by the water. One of our favorites is Ozona Blue, just a couple miles away and is located at a marina. You can sit on the back deck, order a summer cocktail or crisp, cool white wine, right on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The restaurant also has a great appetizer, Guacamole dip. They do their guacamole in a special way though. They bring out a large cart with all the ingredients and make the dip right at your table. They start with the ripe avocado and muddle it in a large molcajete. A molcajete is a mortar and pestle affair, made of basalt rock, which has a rough finish, which makes it easy to mash the avocado without it sliding around. Then they add all the other pre-prepared ingredients and your guacamole is served. Nice touch and always very good.

So here is a recipe for Guacamole:

3 ripe Haas avocados

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lime

2 Roma tomatoes,diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped

1 or 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

In a large bowl, place the avocado pulp and juice of the lime, salt, cumin and cayenne. Mash with a potato masher or similar tool. I used a pastry cutter. Fold in remaining ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips. This is a recipe that Alton Brown uses and it is very tasty.

To my Minnesota friends, don’t be afraid to put the jalapeno pepper in. I know you guys with your tender taste buds. This is not that hot. As a matter of fact, it is just right.