As requested by my friend over at Chandelier -http://www.chandelierevents.blogspot.com/ a kick ass party planning blog.
The secret to great guacamole is keep it simple and don't over work it. You want it to be fresh, sparkly and for the natural flavors to shine.
Open and scoop out 3 avocados into a bowl. As finely as you can chop up half of an onion and a small garlic clove. Chop in a fine dice one tomato, seeds removed. Chop up, not too finely though, enough fresh cilantro to make somewhere between 1 to 2 tablespoons. Using a fork mash the avocados up a bit, but don't go crazy, you want it to be chunky and not a smooth puree. Add in the other ingredients except the cilantro. Once everything is mixed together squeeze in the juice from a half of a lime. Now add some cilantro and salt and begin tasting and adding more until you think it is properly seasoned. This is a personal thing so the amounts will vary from person to person. I will say that I find it takes a little more salt than you might think, but don't over do it since the chips you serve it with will also likely be salty.
If you like your guacamole spicy then open and remove seeds from a fresh jalapeno. It's a good idea to use gloves when working with spicy peppers because the oils which are the source of the spice are hard to get off your hands. Chop it up really finely and add it last, slowly, tasting and testing until you reach the level of spice you like. Remember that as the gaucamole sits the jalapenos will continue to leech off more spicy oils and make the dip get spicier so best to stop a little before it reaches the level you want if it will be sitting around a while.
Guacamole is something that is best when made, served, and consumed in one sitting, but if you want to make it ahead by a few hours you can save the pits from the avocados and place them in the dip to keep it fresh when in the fridge.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Split Pea and Ham Soup
I'm back in business with a brand new laptop. Sorry for so much delay but I've got several posts ready to go for the coming week. Here's a little start, just right for the cold weather we have right now.
This is so easy and plenty hearty enough for a dinner when served with some good bread.
Chop finely ½ onion, 2 carrots, 1 large stalk of celery. Cook in a pot with a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium low heat with salt and pepper. You want the vegetables to get soft but not brown. Rub the leaves of one sprig of rosemary into the pot and add 1 to 2 cups of chopped up ham, depending on how ham-y you like it. Pour in about ½ a cup of beer or white wine and let it boil and cook a couple minutes then pour in one package of dry split green peas and enough chicken stock or water to double the volume. It will take at least that much liquid, but probably more so check back on the soup while it’s cooking and simply add more water if it seems too thick. Now just let it simmer. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper toward the end of the cooking time because the ham will add a certain amount of saltiness. I think ours took about an hour and a half to fully cook.
You can skip the ham and stock for a vegetarian version. Do exactly the same with lentils for lentil soup.
This is so easy and plenty hearty enough for a dinner when served with some good bread.
Chop finely ½ onion, 2 carrots, 1 large stalk of celery. Cook in a pot with a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium low heat with salt and pepper. You want the vegetables to get soft but not brown. Rub the leaves of one sprig of rosemary into the pot and add 1 to 2 cups of chopped up ham, depending on how ham-y you like it. Pour in about ½ a cup of beer or white wine and let it boil and cook a couple minutes then pour in one package of dry split green peas and enough chicken stock or water to double the volume. It will take at least that much liquid, but probably more so check back on the soup while it’s cooking and simply add more water if it seems too thick. Now just let it simmer. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper toward the end of the cooking time because the ham will add a certain amount of saltiness. I think ours took about an hour and a half to fully cook.
You can skip the ham and stock for a vegetarian version. Do exactly the same with lentils for lentil soup.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Sorry to be gone so long
Sorry for the lag on the posts. My laptop died on me and took with it my photos and a couple recipes I had ready to go. I hope to be up and running again by next week at the latest.
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