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Whether it is Tacos, Burritos, Fajitas, Nachos or super simple tortilla chips, they just aren’t complete without Salsa and Guacamole. But if you buy the store bought stuff, I can forgive you if you skip it on occasion. These recipes will change that!

I started making salsa after my best friend in Colorado would make salsa for us to eat with chips as an after school snack, while I have strayed from that original recipe quite a bit, all salsa is basically made from at least 4 ingredients and as his recipe had those 4 ingredients, I will say that this is an evolution of his, thanks Jason/Bob!

As for the guacamole… lazy…

I knew the ingredients were roughly the same as salsa, why fight it. Word of caution, while you can add Pace or some other store bought salsa to start this off, you will taste the difference, it isn’t as good. Also, rather than blend the guacamole, if you are making a small batch, squish the avocado by hand, it gives you a much better judgement of the consistency you are looking for and a sense of destruction 🙂

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Salsa:

Ingredients:

• 1 onion (minced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can jalapeños or MUCH BETTER – 2 fresh angered jalapeños**
• 2x fresh tomatoes (halved) – Angered if you have time**
• Cilantro (Coriander)
• Lime (quartered)
• 2 tsp olive oil (extra virgin)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in sauce pan then “anger” the tomatoes by lightly scorching them to the point of almost black.
2. Dice tomatoes
3. Dice cilantro, jalapeños, onion and garlic.
4. Mix tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeños, onion and garlic in a bowl.
5. Squeeze in lime, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Guacamole:

Ingredients:

• Homemade Salsa
• 2 or more Ripe Haas Avocados*
• Lime
• Cilantro (Coriander)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Add a mixture of roughly (I do it by eye) 1 part salsa to 3 parts mashed fresh haas avocados.
2. add lime, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

**Angered chilis and tomatoes

A couple of friends of mine from Mexico suggested that I “anger” the chilis and tomatoes by either dry frying them or placing them directly over open flame to char the skin and soften the meaty pulp – it does enhance the flavour of the salsa and depending time and who I am cooking for (will they notice the difference) I will anger the chillies and tomatoes.

* Ripe Haas Avocados

While I call California home, I have lived in Europe for close to 20 years and the UK for over 3/4 of that time. The European’s know a lot about food but they are appallingly ignorant to how to eat avocados! When they become ripe, most people think that they have gone off. Unfortunately, that includes the stores who throw them away and then aren’t available in the shop…

You have to either be quick or more likely follow the suggestions in the link provided. I personally, buy them when they are close to ripe, leave them on my kitchen window sill until they are ripe and if we aren’t eating them within days, we keep them in the fridge to significantly slow the ripening process.

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