Guacamole

(This is an updated version of the guacamole I used to make. I now omit half a cup of chopped cherry tomatoes - the tomatoes are not locally in season when the avocados are good, and I prefer the texture without them. So.)

A discussion about how to make guacamole usually ends in tears. Everyone knows how it should be made, but no one can agree on just how. It depends on what you like. And while I like garlic, I don't like it in guacamole, where it tends to turn bitter after a while. I use a lot of spring onions (scallions), a lot of lemon or lime juice, and then all bets are off, depending on the hormones coursing through my system that day and the ensuing appetite they create. I love cilantro, so in that goes - usually last, a lot of black pepper, and more or less fresh or dried chile.

This is a recipe for two people with leftovers. Four as a snack before dinner.

2 ripe avocados with dark, rough skin (not the smooth, tasteless emerald giants), in rough cubes
3/4 cup scallions, green and white parts finely sliced
juice of 2-3 limes (yield, about 5 Tbsp)
2 tsp finely chopped fresh jalapeno chile, or dried chile flakes (1tsp)
salt and lots of pepper
1/2 bunch (about 1 loosely packed cup) cilantro, leaves picked from stems and torn up

I do not have a big mortar so I put this all in a large bowl, and use two wooden spoons to stamp my avocados. Stamp with respect. You could use two forks, for that matter. Do not even think about using a food processor if you are trigger happy: two pulses and you're done. That's it. Good guacamole is not a paste, it is very rough around the edges. For my taste. The goal is to crush all the ingredients slightly, turning the avocado creamy, while preserving chunks of it. Now taste, and add salt and pepper to your liking.

Chill and serve with crackers, crispy pita or with tortilla chips. It makes killer sandwiches with leftover chicken or crispy bacon or any kind of peppery leaf.

All you need now are some real Margaritas.