On my very first trip to Mexico I fell in love with the freshness of guacamole and salsa.  I asked the server how it was made, and he kindly gave me the ingredients and directions which I'm sharing here with you.  After tasting the freshness in this salsa, you will never want to purchase commercial salsa again.  The trick to making perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados.

Perfect Guacamole

Ingredients:  (Use Organic wherever possible)

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • A dash of freshly grated black pepper
  • 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.

Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours.

Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve.

Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready. Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.

Salsa Fresca

Ingredients:    (Use Organic wherever possible)

  •   1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
  •   ¼ cup chopped red onion
  •   ¼ cup(loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  •   2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  •   1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
  •   1/2teaspoons salt
  •   1/8 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

In medium bowl, gently stir tomatoes with onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors, or up to 8 hours. Drain before serving if chilled longer than 1 hour.