Bonus Salt: Authentic Homemade Guacamole Recipe: Fresh & Flavorful with Jalapeños, Tomatoes, and Red Onion!
because it's not cinco de mayo with guacamole... or, tequila.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
A little known fact around these parts of the woods: for almost a decade, I worked in a restaurant. I spent hours in the kitchen learning how to de-head fresh Bronzino, put clams to sleep, how to cook soft-shell crab, how to cook the perfect steak, and more. The first dish I learned to make was a lobster bisque at seventeen. My lunch mates didn’t love the smell when I heated it up the next day in high school- but, it was worth the caddy comments. If my grandfather taught me that cooking is a love language, the restaurant and its’ staff taught me how to bring flavors together, on the fly.
Today’s guacamole is a core memory from the restaurant. In between lunch and dinner, the kitchen staff would make a vat of guacamole and fresh chips for the staff that was working doubles. We may have had steaks worth $200 in the walk-in, but to the staff, managing the avocados and fresh produce was priority. Chef would store the avocados in the perfect spot until they ripened, and then had its own shelf to keep them fresh. I swear, we never had a bad avocado.
What I love about this dish is that depending on the chef, the dish had its’ own cultural flair. When Angelina made it, it was traditional from Mexico- where she came from. When Erik made it, it was more spicy like his Abuela made it, from Guatemala. My flair is the jalapeños & red pepper flakes- we never had jalapeños in the walk in, but I love the heat. It’s why I love cooking so much: it’s designed to add your own flair. To tell your own story.
I also linked two of my favorite taco dishes if you’re looking for some more inspiration. Oh, and if you’re making margaritas- don’t use the sugary mixer from the grocery store- that’s where the hangover comes in. I was a bartender for years and this margarita never got sent back:
2 oz blanco tequila
1 oz of Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 oz of lime juice (fresh squeezed or from the bottle)
put it all together, shake the hell out of it until you get ice chips on top, and serve with lime.
and you can make it spicy with cherry peppers :) I used to infuse our tequila with cherry peppers and we could never keep it in stock.
Here’s a link to our Taco Recipes:
Here’s how to make the best guacamole-
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
3 ripe avocados
1-2 fresh jalapeños (depending on your heat preference), seeded and finely diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1-2 limes (adjust to taste)
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:
Prepare the Avocados: Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl.
Mash the Avocados: Mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher until you reach your desired consistency. Some people prefer chunky guacamole, while others prefer it smoother.
Add the Vegetables: Add the diced jalapeños, tomatoes, and red onion to the mashed avocado.
Seasonings: Sprinkle garlic powder, red pepper flakes and chili powder over the mixture.
Salt and Pepper: Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix Well: Gently mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as you want to maintain some texture.
Adjust Seasonings: Taste the guacamole and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more salt, pepper, lime juice, garlic powder, or chili powder according to your taste preferences.
Serve: Transfer the guacamole to a serving bowl and serve immediately with tortilla chips, vegetables, as a topping for tacos, or alongside your favorite Mexican dishes.
Remember, it's best served fresh, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a day. Just be sure to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to prevent browning.
Happy Cinco de Mayo, friends!