The Best Guacamole Ever

I posted my favorite Salsa Verde recipe a many months ago, so naturally guacamole must follow.  This is my favorite dip in the world, and I love bringing it to parties and social events.  I usually make a big batch, so this recipe feeds many -- but of course, you can easily cut it in half, and even in half again, if you just want to make it for the family or a few friends.

I start off with a bunch of really good avocados.  Selecting avocados is very important, and there are many good avocado options, particularly in California.  Hass are delicious and readily available, but when you can find them, Fuertes and Reeds are also excellent choices for guacamole.  It is important that the avocado be ripe, but not too ripe.  When you hold it in your hand, make sure that is feels like you could squish it, if you were to squeeze it really tight, but make sure that it does not feel "mushy" at all.  Great guacamole begins with great avocados!  I have 9 here, but there is absolutely nothing magic about that number -- it's just A LOT.  I start by cutting them in half, as pictured, and removing the pits by hitting each pit squarely with a sharp knife, and then pivoting it to the right or left to loosen the pit so that I can lift the pit right out.

Next, I scoop the avocado in large chunks into a bowl and immediately squeeze on some lime juice to preserve the rich bright color.

I chop up a bunch of white onion, green onion and cilantro.  I'd say heaping cup full for 9 avocados is about right.

And I finely chop two seeded jalapenos.  (Keep the seeds in if you like your guacamole extra spicy.)

Next, I mash the avocado very gently with a fork until I get just the right consistency.  It should be both chunky and creamy.

Then I stir in the chopped jalapenos along with a bunch of the onion and cilantro mixture reserving a about 1/4 cup for the top.  At this point, I add more lime juice (1/2 a lime at a time) and coarse salt to taste.

Now, if you have already made some Salsa Verde -- and I hope you have --  (here is the link to my favorite Salsa Verde recipe: http://mandybora.blogspot.com/2013/08/salsa-verde.html), spoon some on top of the finished guacamole, and sprinkle with the reserved onion and cilantro mixture.  Otherwise, just sprinkle on the reserved onion and cilantro mixture and serve with your favorite red or green salsa!

Guacamole is...

Cacık (Turkish Yogurt with Cucumber and Garlic)

Whether consumed as a cold soup, a meze, or a condiment atop rice or bulgur, cacık adds a hint of brightness to any meal.  This very popular Turkish dish combines plain yogurt, salt, crushed garlic and cucumber.  Thinned with a bit of water and/or ice, it is generally served very cold. Beyond that, there are many cacık variations.  Here is mine -- which I daresay is the bomb!

I start with really good plain, full-fat yogurt.  Nowadays, good quality plain "Greek-style" yogurt is easy to find.  That was not always the case.  Chobani is quite good, as is Fage, and The Greek Gods, but my husband Asaf and I have sworn by Alta Dena for decades, and it remains an excellent choice despite all the competitive and trendy brands that have recently emerged in the marketplace.

As for the cucumbers, it's best to use organic because some of the skin is consumed.  My first choice is always the old fashioned pickling cucumber, followed by English hothouse.  My contempt for Persian cucumbers is certainly no secret on my blog (I find them sweet and often rubbery), but they are a popular choice for Middle Eastern salads, and my husband thinks they are fine in cacık. (We have just agreed to disagree on this point.)

The other essential ingredients for delicious cacık include fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and really fresh mint leaves.

I start by measuring out 1 cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup of cold water, which I stir or whisk together until creamy.  To that I add 1 large or 2 small cloves of crushed garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt.  At this point I taste and adjust the seasonings and consistency by adding more of whatever might be needed (yogurt, water, salt, and/or garlic).  I prepare it so that the texture is just slightly thicker than desired, as I will be adding some ice cubes to the cacık later -- to make it really cold -- and I like to factor in the melting ice effect.

Next I partially peel 1 pickling cucumber (or 1/2 English hothouse cucumber) in stripes, and then I thinly slice and dice the cucumber, into very, very small pieces, like so.

I also slice 8-10 fresh mint leaves into very thin ribbons (chiffonade), just like this.

Then I stir the cucumber into the yogurt mixture and top it with the fresh mint, a nice drizzle of really good olive oil, and a couple of grinds of freshly ground black pepper.  Finally, I plunge 2 ice cubes into the bowl and let it sit a good 15 minutes before serving, so the flavors fully develop.

Ingredients/Recipe:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup of cold drinking water

1 large or 2 small cloves of fresh garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (more or less to taste)

1 pickling cucumber or 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, partially peeled and diced very small

8-10 fresh mint leaves cut into ribbons

About 1 tablespoon of very good extra virgin olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the first 4 ingredients, and then taste and readjust by adding more yogurt, water, garlic or salt, until the flavor and consistency are to your liking.  The mixture should be creamy, and just slightly thicker than desired.  Next, stir in the diced cucumber and top with mint, olive oil, and black pepper.  Plunge in two ice cubes and let everything rest for at least 15 minutes before serving so the flavors develop.  The ice cubes will keep it cold.

Baby Bella's Bursting with Bulgur and Perfectly Plated

This earthy and rustic vegan mushroom dish features baby portobello mushrooms coated with olive oil, garlic, and Mediterranean spices, roasted for 25 minutes, and then stuffed with a lively mixture of bulgur, green olives, mint, parsley, onion and roasted almonds.  The rich ingredients, and the contrasting textures and flavors, make for an amazing and satisfying bite of food.

I start by cleaning and removing the stems from about 10 baby portobello mushrooms.  Then, with a sharp knife, I score the top of each mushroom with crisscross scores, taking care not to cut in so deep that the mushrooms break.

Next, I preheat my oven to 400 degrees and assemble the ingredients needed for a quick and simple chermoula sauce.  They include 1 large clove of crushed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander, ground red pepper, and paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 cup of very good olive oil, and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.  I combine and whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl to form a smooth marinade.

Then I carefully spoon and brush the chermoula sauce all over the top and bottom of each of the mushrooms, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (top side up), and roast the portobellos for about 25 minutes.

While the mushrooms are roasting I prepare the bulgur filling.  First I measure out 1/2 cup of fine bulgur (bulgur No. 1) into a bowl, cover the bulgur with 1/2 cup of boiling water, add in a tablespoon of olive oil, stir once, cover the bowl tightly, and let it rest until all the water is absorbed -- about 15 minutes.

In the meantime I prepare the ingredients to fold into the bulgur.  They include 1 thinly sliced green onion (including the green stems), 1/4 cup each of sliced tangy green olives, finely chopped mint, and finely chopped flat leaf parsley, and about 15 roasted almonds, coarsely chopped.   After the bulgur has absorbed all the liquid, I fluff it with a fork and add in some salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.  Then I stir in the olives, herbs and almonds, add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and sprinkle in a hint red pepper for a little heat (optional).  Then I taste the bulgur and adjust the seasonings as needed.

When the mushrooms are done cooking,  I let them rest for a bit and then I stuff them with as much of the bulgur mixture as they can hold (saving any leftover bulgur for another day's lunch). The mushrooms are now ready to plate and serve.

And in this gorgeous plate that my friend Francesco designed, I found the perfect canvas for my beautiful stuffed mushrooms! 

Puréed Roasted Beets with Toasted Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese

I adapted this delicious vegetarian roasted beet recipe from my favorite new cookbook Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, and I promise you the luxurious texture and amazing flavor of this appetizer will woo even the most ardent beet-hater.  

I start by washing and trimming 3 medium sized beets, reserving the tender leaves for salad.  Next I roast the beets, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for about an hour.  The beets are ready when you can easily insert a knife or fork into the center.  Roasting the beets, as opposed to boiling them, is essential for this recipe because the beets need that rich and gooey texture that roasting imparts. During the last 15 minutes of cooking I put about 10 hazelnuts into the hot oven and toast them off as well.  They will be used later in the garnish.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, I remove the outer skin and cut each into 6 or 8 smaller pieces.  In addition, I peel and crush 2 cloves of garlic and measure out 1/2 cup of really good plain Greek yogurt.
 

I put the roasted beets, crushed garlic, and just a pinch of Kosher salt into a blender or food processor and blend to break up the beets.  Then I add in the yogurt and continue blending until the consistency is smooth and velvety.

Then I transfer the beet purée to a bowl and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of good olive oil, some fresh ground black pepper, and a bit more salt if needed.

Just before serving I prepare the garnish of toasted hazelnuts coarsely crushed, 1 scallion sliced very, very thin at an angle, and a rounded tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese (you can substitute feta cheese if you like).

I carefully transfer the beet purée to a flat serving dish, and with a small spoon or the tip of a knife I weave in just a tiny bit of plain yogurt, which adds a nice color contrast.  I drizzle the top with another tablespoon of olive oil and a bit more fresh ground black pepper, and I scatter the garnish across the top.

It's delicious served on top of warm thin sourdough bread slices.  Even the kids loved it!