Guacamole Goes with BBQ....Right??

BBQing is more than just cooked meat, seafood and veggies. We have to pump it up with some fabulous sides. And one of those sides that is always a hit is Guacamole. 

Guacamole is one of those items that can be used in a number of ways. Use it as a condiment, a dip, a main side, it goes good with just about anything.

Here is my recipe for a sure fire, tasty treat....

Guacamole:

• 1 large avocado
• 8 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
• 1 cup of cut, loose cilantro
• Juice of one calamansi lemon (you can use lime but the flavor will be different)
• Salt to taste
• Dash (small pinch) of sugar (really helps blend the flavors) key ingredient

1.  Cut up the avocado and mash and stir all the ingredients together but still leaving it a little chunky;

2.  Let it all sit for at least 15 minutes so the flavors can blend with each other.

There are many recipe variations for guacamole but you'll notice that my recipe is very simple and basic. I feel that sometimes simple is better.

Serve with corn tortilla chips. Fresh, home-made chips are the best.

Home-made Corn Tortilla Chips:

I like to make my corn tortillas fresh but store bought is fine.

1.  Cut the tortilla into 8 pieces;

2.  Pour Corn Oil into a pan about 1/8th inch deep and heat to medium/high;

3.  Sprinkle salt into the oil. This is a key to perfectly salted chips. Mix the salt up in the oil. The amount will come with experience. Fry up one tortilla chip for a taste test (best part of the job) and adjust as necessary. You will get the hang of it with time;

4.  Start dropping your tortilla pieces into the oil. If turning by hand, once your are done dropping in the tortilla pieces, you can start turn over the first ones and so on;

5.  Once you are done turning all the pieces, you can take them out. Drain the tortilla pieces before placing them in a colander for cooling.

6.  Taste the chips. Salt to taste just in case there was not enough salt in the oil. Next time you can always add more salt to the oil.

Practice makes perfect. You'll be a pro before you know it.

There you have it....fresh guacamole and corn tortilla chips. Nothing like it to activate those taste buds. And just a reminder while chowing on this, don't stray too far from the cooler....

Until next time....