The best guacamole is made from ripe avocados and fresh limes (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Here in Texas, guacamole is one of those things that everyone has an opinion about – what’s good, better, or wrong. Guacamole dates back to the Aztecs who believed the avocado was an aphrodisiac. The best guacamole is made with fresh avocados and limes. Here’s a guacamole recipe to get you started…

2 ripe avocados

½ cup minced red or white onion (unlike the yellow, red, or purple the white onion is not sweet and has a pure hot flavor)

1 or 2 minced serrano chiles (lose the seeds and stem)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (lose the stems)

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice

3 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon coarse salt

½ chopped ripe tomato (lose the seeds and pulp)

freshly-milled black pepper to taste

Adjust the following to your taste.
1. Cut the avocados in half. Remove seed and scoop out the avocado into a mixing bowl.
2. Mash the avocado with a molcajete or fork. Add onion, cilantro, lime, salt, garlic, and pepper. Mash again.
3. Add serrano chiles based on preferred spiciness. Mash again.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface of the guacamole to prevent air from reaching mixture.
5. Add tomatoes when ready to serve, fold into mixture.

Most guacamole is served with tortilla chips. In Mexico it’s frequently served in a fresh warm corn tortilla. Guacamole goes great with almost any Mexican or Tex Mex food, jicama, shrimp, queso, and more.