Mexican Night

[thebookpile]

Last night, we whipped up a Mexican meal. We made a quick chili recipe from a supplement of Fine Cooking magazine called Make it Tonight (The Best of Fine Cooking). The chili is pictured on the cover.

The toping for the chili recipe includes avocados. Because the recipe only calls for one and I had bought five, we needed to put the others to use in another recipe. So we whipped up some guacamole from our increasingly indispensable Mexican Cookbook. I also quickly put together a double recipe of the Pico de Gallo Salsa from the same book, which I make often. I've included these two recipes under the cut.

Pico de Gallo Salsa

• 3 large, ripe tomatoes, diced (recipe says to seed - I don't bother)
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1 large green chili, seeded and very finely diced (I used a jalapeño)
• 2 tbps fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Put everything into a large bowl and mix together. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
3. Tostitos Scoops work best because there is some liquid from the added lime juice (and especially if you don't seed the tomatoes). I prefer it that way.

Guacamole

• 2 large, ripe avocados
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, very finely chopped
• 1 mild green chili, very finely chopped (I used 2/3 of a stronger jalapeño and it was just fine)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut avacados in half lengthwise and twist halves in opposite directions to separate. Remove pit either by stabbing with point of sharp knife and lifting out, or slice into pit with holster-end of chef's knife and twist out.
2. Peel avacado halves and put into bowl. Add lime juice, olive oil, and then mash to desired consistency (I used a potato masher).
3. Stir in onion, garlic, cumin, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve immediately to avoid discolouration.

Comments

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

I love pico de gallo.

You should also be adding garlic to it, by the way... lots of it!

[thebookpile.livejournal.com]

Duly noted!