Chunky GUACAmole à la Ina

FOR 6

4  ripe Haas avocados

3  tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)

8  dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

1  teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

SMALL AMOUNT

1 ripe Haas avocado

3/4 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)

4 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, Tabasco, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

Save in a bowl with plastic foil covering the guacamole to stop oxidation. Refrigerate.

Serve in a pretty bowl with crudites in separate bowl.

FOR NIBBLES SPREAD GUACAMOLE 

on slices of potato or carrot!

Serve on freshly picked Zucchini slices of cooked  potato 

What to eat with Guacamole

Tortillas

Veges..carrots

Toast & French Fries

Pita Bread

Baked Potatoes

AVOCADO MANAGEMENT TIPS

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Here’s how to keep guacamole green:

• Place your leftover guacamole in a storage container and pat it down firmly with a spoon so it’s nice and flat on top.

• Add about 1/2 inch of water on top (I used cold water).

• Place the lid on the storage container and store it in the fridge. That’s it!

• When you want to enjoy the guacamole, drain the water off the top, give it a stir and you’re good to go.

I tested this method for three full days and it worked like a charm. It stays perfectly fresh and delicious. Though I will admit by the third day it does start to get a little more watery. But who has guacamole last that long anyway?

Here’s a tip: if they’re still a little tough, put them in a sealed paper bag for several hours to speed up the ripening process. 

Next: wash, peel, pit, and dice the avocados. Then place them in a large bowl. Add 6 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, 3 tablespoons of lime j

Then, just mix them all together with either a fork or a potato masher, depending on how mushy or chunky you want it.  Notice a few things missing from this recipe? When making freezer-safe guacamole, leave out the few ingredients that get watery when frozen and thawed.

Things like tomatoes or fresh onion won’t keep their good texture once they’re frozen either. So it’s important that you just prepare and freeze the base and add the rest of the ingredients once you’re ready to serve your guac.

How to Freeze Guacamole

There are two ways you can freeze guacamole. But before anything else – here’s an important note.

Portion your guacamole into your preferred serving sizes before freezing. That way, you won’t have to thaw the whole batch whenever you’re craving some guacamole.  

Method One: Store guacamole in freezer-safe bags. Transfer the guacamole into Ziploc bags, squeezing out as much air as you can, and seal. Flatten the bags and place them in the freezer,  piling the bags on top of each other. What I like about this method is that it doesn’t take up much space in the freezer. It’s also easy to thaw. The only thing I don’t like is that the bags will most likely be too difficult to wash and reuse after, so you’ll have to throw them out.

Method Two: Store guacamole in Mason jars. When transferring guacamole into jars, do so carefully to avoid air bubbles forming. Be sure to leave an inch of empty space on top because the guacamole will expand as it freezes.

Quick Tip: Pour a little bit of olive oil on the surface to prevent the guacamole from browning.

With this method, you won’t have to worry about wasting plastic. But it takes a while to thaw out. You need 1-2 days before you can serve or eat it. This method also takes up a little more space in the freezer.

How Long Does Frozen Guacamole Last?

Guacamole turns brown when it comes in contact with oxygen, that’s why freezing it is your best bet to keeping it around longer. When frozen, you won’t have to worry about it separating or turning brown. Frozen guacamole will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

How to thaw Guacamole

If you stored your guacamole in freezer-safe bags, all you need to do is leave them to thaw on the counter and wait for two hours. To get the guacamole out of the bag easily, cut the tip of the bag and squeeze away.

If you stored the guacamole in mason jars, you’ll need to place them in the fridge for 1-2 days. If they haven’t defrosted enough yet, you can submerge the jars in a bowl with room temperature water to speed up the process. 

If your guacamole needs more help to defrost, you can also pop it in the microwave. Place the setting on defrost mode and microwave for a few minutes. Stir the guacamole to help break up any ice crystals and microwave again until thawed.

Once it’s thawed, transfer the guacamole into a bowl and mix well. This is also the time to add other ingredients to the guacamole to make it even tastier. I love adding freshly chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers to my freezer guacamole before serving.