Here is a tip that you probably won’t find anyone other than restaurants using, but it certainly is a thought when avocados are way too expensive and you have a crowd to feed. I tried it on a party of young adults, for my son Jeff’s 22nd birthday, and they had not a clue as to what was in the recipe. I got compliments even!.
The ingredients are kind of a secret, (and it probably should be, it’s so weird), so don’t spread it around too much. This recipe could conceivably raise the price of avocados further than they are, as the consumer would not need so many of them for a bowl of delicious guacamole. I should have named this tip “how to embarrass your avocados”, I know I am. I would never let a guest see me do this. Just remember if you do this right no one, not even your worst food critic, will know you cheated on the recipe. Try it! It works! I use 8-10 avocados for this dish. In a large bowl, using a fork, smash up 6-8 peeled and seeded avocados, leaving lots of good avocado lumps. Use as many large ripe avocados as you think you will need for a crowd. This will depend on whether or not you are using the mixture for guacamole or just as a garnish. Be sure to leave at least 2-3 avocados for the secret ingredient. Mash avocados with a fork so that there are lots of large lumps left.
Add:
Diced tomatoes, drain off any tomato liquid, 1 for every 5-6 avocados
Diced onions, 1 med for every 5 – 6 avocados
Serrano chile pepper, diced very small. Go easy on this if you don’t know anything about peppers. I suggest, 1 seeded chile with spines removed for every 5-6 avocados
Lemon or Lime juice, just a little, maybe 3 Tb per every 5-6 avocados
salt to taste
Make some mashed potatoes, yes this is not a misprint or tequila induced hallucination. Make a cup or two for a big batch of guacamole, about 1 cup for every 6-7 avocados to start with until you get this down to a science.
Try instant potatoes for this process, it is easier to gage the amount of potatoes and no lumps.
Use the mixer or blender to be certain all lumps are beaten out of the potatoes. The potatoes must be smooth, but use as little liquid as possible (I use a little hot sauce or salsa for the liquid).
REMEMBER SMOOTH, NOT RUNNY, is the key to this.
Restaurants use green food coloring, (yes really), to make it green. I haven’t had to go that far yet. I put the mashed potatoes into a blender and add pealed, seeded avocado halves, and blend until the mixture looks like guacamole. I keep adding avocados until I can taste the avocadoes not the potatoes. The color was fine without using food coloring. Add a little hot sauce if you need liquid.
Now for the tricky part!
By hand, start mixing the mashed potato mixture into the bowl of smashed up avocados. Mix gently but well, leaving lots of lumps. At the same time start adding all the other good things that go into your guacamole, such as onions, chilies, lemon and drained, chopped, tomatoes.
Remember not to do this in front of any of your guests or it may kill the whole guacamole thing for them.
OPTIONAL:
Mix in a little hot salsa to taste, be careful or your guacamole will be runny
Add a little cilantro, about 1 Tb for every 5-6 avocados
Crumble a little queso añejo (Mexican cheese) into the mix ( ¼ cup per 6 avocados) or just sprinkle it on top.
TIPS;
Placing a few of the avocado pits back into the guacamole after the dish is ready, is a time honored way of hopefully keeping the avocados from turning dark. I have much better luck using waxed paper or plastic wrap to cover the dish, and gently pressing it right onto the guacamole. This way there is no air between the guacamole and the wrap, and it doesn’t turn so fast. You can always fluff up the guacamole right before serving.
I know this recipe sounds a little on the bizarre side, but you really must try it
before you discount it. Believe me it is a good guacamole, and I think it is much better than most restaurant fare.