Guacamole

More than any recipe in the Mexican canon of classics, guacamole evolves and transforms into what the cook likes or what is right for the occasion. In Mexico, guacamole tends toward simple because it’s most often destined to be a condiment for tacos and the like. In the U.S., guacamole explodes with complexity, often chock-full of vegetables, since here we almost always scoop it up with chip after chip. While many contemporary creations have been written (I confess to having written many of them myself), there is a traditional foundation from which all of them spring: Coarsely mashed thoroughly ripe avocados, seasoned with salt and just enough lime to brighten (but not overwhelm) the avocado richness. Add emblematic Mexican vegetables to suit your own taste: white onion for fresh crunch, ripe tomato for sweetness, fresh green chile for that spicy zing, and cilantro for herby aroma. It’s that simple, though this approach requires the one in charge of preparation to understand the role of each ingredient they’re adding and to taste regularly until the perfect balance is achieved. So making your perfect guacamole requires a fair amount of experience, of trial-and-error. But I can think of quite a few less rewarding endeavors.

Some notes about avocados: After being picked, ripe avocados—those that have developed their full complement of oily richness--are quickly placed in cold storage (below 50 degrees F) to keep them from starting the softening process. Once they are brought back to room temperature, the flesh begins to relax from rock-hardness to a voluptuousness unparalleled in the fruit kingdom (yes, avocados are botanically fruit). That takes five to seven days. And, at home, there is really no way to speed it along. (No matter what you’ve heard, the scientists tell us that putting them in a paper bag on the counter doesn’t decrease the time more than an hour or two.) So you need to plan ahead … or shop at a Mexican grocery, where customers expect to find soft avocados 24/7. With avocados, I distinguish between two stages of softness: the first is “sliceable,” what the sushi chefs need, the second is “mashable,” what we need for making the best guacamole. There is usually about 24 hours between those two stages. When testing avocados for mashable softness, press on the bulbous end; that’s the last place to soften.