I always made guacamole the simple way: avocados mashed with lime juice and salt. That’s it. And while I still like it that way, our friend Cheryl introduced us to HER way of making guacamole that knocked our socks off. I mean, every time we all got together all anybody could talk about was Cheryl’s famous guacamole as elbows were raised and tortilla chips flew, all decorum out the window, as our crew fought for the last scoop.
I finally threw in the towel and resigned to the fact that yes, Cheryl’s famous guacamole was indeed that good and that my old standard had to step down to make room for this shiny new version (even if it was only famous in Kamloops… we’re working on it).
Now, we make tacos (really more like a burrito with everything we put in them) on a regular basis, it is by far the meal that gets made the most in our home! And I’d like to think that we’ve kind of perfected them. It took a lot of time, and a lot of tacos, but layer by layer we figured out our own secret recipe for creating the yummiest Mexican dinner that is perfect for entertaining. I love taco night when we have guests over, as it’s such an unplugged way to serve our guests … AND they can make their taco exactly how they like it. Everyone is happy.
you can expedite the ripening process for avocados by sticking them in a paper bag with a ripe banana or an apple and closing the bag for a couple of days. The trapped ethylene gas that the fruit emits helps speed up the ripening process!
My sweet friend Cheryl was nice enough to share her famous guacamole recipe with me that has THE most asked for appetizer at our parties for years! It is zippy and slightly chunky and basically perfect.
Place all 3 avocados in a large bowl and roughly mash them up (it should be slightly chunky still). Stir in the diced pickled jalapeños, basil, cilantro, lime juice and add a splash of the pickled jalapeño juice and salt to taste.
Place the reserved avocado pit in the bottom of a serving bowl, scoop the guacamole on top, and garnish with extra cilantro or fresh sliced jalapeños for garnish if desired. Serve with a basket of tortilla chips.