Food Lab's Best Basic Guacamole

I saw this recipe posted on Food Lab: The Best Guacamole (and the Science of Avocados) and knew that I had to try it. I had a bunch of avocados in my kitchen...and they were getting riper by the minute. 

This really is a fantastic guacamole that takes about 15 minutes to make. I made two adjustments: I used about 1/3 cup of cilantro (instead of the recommended 1/2 cup) and replaced serrano chili with jalapeño because that's what I had in my house. My only caveat is this: don't serve this guacamole with super-salty chips. The dip has enough salt in it, and if you use a salty chip, it could be a bit a much. That said, this is now going to be my go-to guacamole recipe. Chunky, creamy and the heat's just right. There aren't many ingredients (6 to be exact) and this is a very affordable homemade party dip. The texture is perfect and the taste is fabulous! Enjoy.

Best Basic Guacamole (Adapted from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, Serious Eats) 
Serves 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 jalapeño chili, roughly chopped (original recipe uses serrano)
1/3 cup picked cilantro leaves, finely chopped, divided (original recipe uses 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (*go with 1 1/2 teaspoons to start, and add more to taste)
4 ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Preparation
Place onion, chili, half of cilantro leaves, and salt in a mortar and pestle. Pound into a fine paste. Alternatively, combine onion, chili, half of cilantro, salt, and half of lime juice in a food processor or blender and process until smooth paste is formed, scraping down sides as necessary.
Split each avocado in half, discard pits, and spoon out flesh into a medium bowl. Roughly mash with a stiff whisk. Add onion/chili puree, remaining cilantro leaves, and half of lime juice. Fold to combine. Season to taste with more salt and lime juice. Serve immediately with warm tortilla chips.

Heidi Swanson's Avocados and Mustard Seeds

Dear Avocados, you're so creamy, delicious, rich and flavorful. I've turned you into cold soup and sliced you with grapefruit. I've tossed you in salads and eaten you whole (minus your pit and skin). I am, officially, an avocado aficionado. But around the time we left Brooklyn, my delicious avocados, you were almost 3 bucks a pop. 
I was wondering if there was some kind of avocado-blight. Maybe something similar to the blight that wiped out potatoes during the Great Potato Famine in Ireland? Or something similar to the fungus that hit our tomato share last summer? Why were they so expensive? I never did get to the bottom of that inquiry, but now it hardly matters. Here in Denver I've been finding avocados for .89 cents each and that means I'm busting out my avocado recipes.  

I've become particularly fond of this one for Avocado and Mustard Seed. I first spotted the recipe in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day. But the original source for Heidi's adaptation was Julie Sahni (and her Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking). Since I'm a big fan of both Julie and Heidi, I knew this dish would become a favorite. And it has. 
You can serve this as a starter/dip or as a side. It's a great way to do something more creative with your avocado. So if you like chilies, cilantro and curry, this has got your name on it. The serrano's heat melds beautifully with the curry powder, mustard seeds and onions. It's, like, the perfect dip for that Sunday football game...go Broncos?! (Did I just type that? Next thing you know I'll be buying fleece from REI. Just kidding. That will never happen.)

Be sure to use ripe avocados. Oh, and definitely DO NOT wipe your eyes after handling the serrano chile. I made that mistake earlier today and I'm still feeling the burn. Ouch.

Enjoy!

Avocados and Mustard Seeds (Courtesy of Heidi Swanson, Super Natural Every Day)

Yields about 2 cups 

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (don't heap the teaspoon)

1/2 cup coarsley chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon clarified butter or extra-virgin coconut oil (I used coconut oil for the first time.  I found a jar at Sunflower Farmers Market.)

1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds

1 small yellow onion, mined

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Indian curry powder

1 small serrano chile, minced

Directions

Cut each avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt, and most of the cilantro. Mash the avocados a bit with a fork, but don't overdo it-- you want the mixture to be quite chunky. Set aside.

Heat the clarified butter or oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the mustard seeds. Keep a lid on hand because the seeds will scatter as they pop. When the spattering stops, after about a  minute, stir in the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and chile.  

Count to ten, and then remove from heat. Stir in the avocado mixture, but just barely, and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with remaining cilantro.