Published May 1, 1999.
Our best guacamole recipe put the avocado back where it belonged, at center stage. We started with fully ripe (the fruit yields slightly to a gentle squeeze when held in the palm of your hand), small, rough-skinned Hass avocados. Then we mashed a third of the avocados with a fork, combining them with the other ingredients (onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, and cumin). Dicing the remaining avocados and folding them in with a very light hand gave our guacamole recipe the chunky texture we prefer.
To minimize the risk of discoloration, prepare the minced ingredients first so they are ready to mix with the avocados as soon as they are cut. Ripe avocados are essential here. To test for ripeness, try to flick the small stem off the end of the avocado. If it comes off easily and you can see green underneath it, the avocado is ripe, (see related Quick Tip).
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