Holy Guacamole!

This is one of the first (edible) things I ever learned to make – no joke. It’s also one that I repeatedly get complimented on…beginner’s luck, I guess.

The trick to guacamole, in my opinion, is maintaing the purity of the avocado – less is more. There’s nothing more disappointing than eating a guac littered with ‘fillers’ like sour cream, tomatoes, etc. I like to KEEP IT SIMPLE.

The versatility (side, snack, dip) and health benefits of guacamole make this recipe a must-know for every home cook’s cLookbook.

I make this recipe my own by introducing an unassuming ingredient – pomegranate.  Taking healthy to a whole new level. At first glance, this addition sounds like a direct contradiction to my point above (i.e. keep it simple). However, believe it or not, the pomegranate flavor is very mild and adds a pleasant texture and sweetness to the dish.

Adapted from Wolfgang Puck’s book, Life Love Eat.

Recipe

Serving Size (2-4 people)

Estimated time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe hass avocados
• just under 1/4 cup (loosely packed) cilantro, diced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced (remove the seeds to reduce heat)
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds (in season September – February in the Northern Hemisphere)
• 1 clove garlic, diced (optional)

*green highlight denotes ingredients you will likely need to buy fresh while black text includes ingredients you should either have stocked in your pantry or ingredients that have a lengthy shelf life.

Directions:

1. cut avocados in half, discard seeds and scoop out flesh into a mixing bowl
2. add other ingredients
3. using the back of a fork, mush ingredients against the side of the bowl, giving the guacamole a smoother texture while breaking down the avocado flesh. stop once the texture is smoother, but still chunky.
4. mix a few times until ingredients are well combined and then serve