Salsa and Guacamole

[miko2]

1. This is a salsa (so-called) that Cynthia at work made once or twice last year. I got the recipe from her and made it once or twice myself, but then recently I realized that I'd lost the recipe and had to ask for it again. For some reason it doesn't seem quite the same. Anyway, I made it tonight and it seemed to work all right. I call it a "so-called" salsa because while you use it like a salsa with chips, it has a sweet flavor that's more like a salad than what you'd normally call salsa (it contains no peppers), but it's good:

Cynthia's Bean & Corn Salsa

1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatos, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped (I used a garlic press instead)
2 avacados, chopped (just before serving)
1 can black olives, chopped*
1/2 of 6-oz jar of green olives, chopped*
fresh cilantro, chopped up to 1 1/2 cup

(Dressing)
1/8 tsp tabasco
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt

Serve chilled with tortilla chips

* I don't remember putting in any olives before, but I went ahead and did it this time. It turned out pretty good. I tend to think cucumber would be good in this recipe too.


2. I have a very different salsa recipe that I've also used a few times, that comes from another co-worker from my previous company. It always turned out pretty well too:

Eric's Salsa del Bachillero

hot peppers
hot sauce
cilantro
garlic
lime
salt/pepper
onions
tomatos

Preparation: mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Tips:

1. Everything should be measured by taste. Don't worry, you can't go wrong with these ingredients. No batch should ever be the same!

2. I usually get a variety of medium-sized green or yellow peppers. Larger peppers are usually mild and smaller peppers tend to be very hot. Red peppers are also typically hot.

3. Always chop ingredients by hand, unless you have a food processor. Don't use a blender.

4. You can add a water/vinegar solution or some really cheap commercial salsa if you need more volume.

5. Try to chill overnight if possible, you have to give the ingredients time to blend together.

6. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water afterwards before going to the bathroom or rubbing your eyes. Trust me, you'll be sorry if you don't.


My own observations would be:

1. Don't follow tip #4, I never have. At the very least, don't use cheap salsa!

2. I like to toss in a couple of red, yellow or orange bell peppers for appearance more than flavor, then a few jalapenos and maybe some serranos and whatever other peppers I find or feel inclinded to add.

3. Lots of lime juice is good. It can make the salsa watery but it also tastes very good. ^_^

4. Life is too short to chop garlic, I always use my garlic press. ^_^

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3. This is my own style of making guacamole, which I'm not sure I ever followed a recipe for, I just kind of learned some tricks from someone else a long time ago and adapted them, and I've always made it without having anything written down. But anyway, here's what I generally do:

Mark's Special Guacamole

About 8 hass avacados (the smaller dark green ones with bumpy skin)

Mash up the avacados in a very large bowl (VERY LARGE). I use a potato masher. Remember to remove the skin and pits first!

Add in:

1 container of store-bought salsa, 14 ounces roughly.
1 container of sour cream, 12-14 ounces
several chopped tomatos, 3-5 romas or even 6 (I like tomatos)
1 chopped onion
chopped green onions if you want
several cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed. More than 4!
a chopped jalapeno or two if you like
chopped cilantro
some lemon juice (a few squirts)
hot sauce
salt


I think that's it. Basically the sour cream adds a smoothness to the guacamole, and along with the salsa it helps you make a lot of tasty guacamole dip without using a lot of expensive avacados. But also I just like the taste better with the salsa and sour cream added. Also, the lemon juice is important, not for taste, but it keeps the guacamole from turning brown.

This makes a ton of guacamole... I think I've arrived at this recipe by deciding that a container of sour cream and a container of salsa needs at least 8 avacados to even things out. You could use less avacados and make a smaller batch, but then you're left with half a container of sour cream and half a container of salsa, and since I'm a bachelor I prefer to just dump the whole thing in. ^_^


I'm sure none of these recipes are very traditional, but if it tastes good on a tortilla chip that's all that matters! But essential to all three recipes: cilantro, garlic, onions and tomatos!