Guac-a-mole

 Might have used too much lime juice in this batch. Still delicious.

I used to think I hated guacamole, but it turns out my problem with it was largely one of texture. Thanks to a Mexican restaurant near where my parents live, I discovered a form of the stuff I love. It should be noted that aside from the handling of the avocados, this is basically Alton Brown's recipe from Good Eats. A good, basic recipe that can easily be modified to suit different tastes.

Ingredients:
3 Haas avocados
1 lime
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Tools:
1 knife
1 spoon

Time:
20 minutes

First step is to seed and dice the Roma tomatoes. If Romas are out of season or otherwise unavailable, half a can petite diced tomato will do in a pinch. Dice the onion half, and dump everything so far into whatever container you intend to use for storage. Juice the lime. If you're using a bottle of lime juice, about 2-3 ounces should do the trick. Add the juice to the tomato and onion mixture.

Now on to the avocados. Cut into an avocado and pivot the knife around the pit in the center. Split the avocado, remove the pit, and take off the peel. If the peel doesn't want to release from the flesh, work the spoon around the edge. Dice the two avocado halves. Immediately transfer the bits into the container, and gently mix everything together before moving on to the next avocado. The acidity of the tomato and lime should prevent unpleasant looking changes in the avocado's color from contact with the air.

Mince your garlic (or grab a 1/2 teaspoon from a jar of pre-minced) and add to the mix. Then add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Mix everything together. Again, gently. I like to hand mix, but that can get plenty messy, so one could always use the spoon. The guacamole is ready to eat at this point, but it gets even better if you cover and leave it in the refrigerator for about an hour before consuming.

If possible, use the guacamole within 2 to 3 days. It'll remain edible for a few days beyond that, but it tends to pick up some off flavors in those last days. Plus the avocado bits start to break down and get soft. Well, softer.