*I started off with a BUNCH of tomatoes to use up from my garden. If you don't have a lot of tomatoes laying around you'll want to get at least 15 Roma Tomatoes. Roma Tomatoes are preferred due to the fact they're meatier than regular tomatoes.
*Two bunches of cilantro
*a very large red/purple onion
*6 very mushy Avocados - if you are not able to get some very soft ones from the grocery store you can put them in a brown paper bag on the counter overnight, they should ripen well.
*a large head of garlic, or two average size heads.
*Salt
*black pepper
*vinegar
*sour cream, at least 8 oz
*4 limes or a bottle of lime juice
*can of black beans, drained and rinsed
*olive oil
*jalapeno peppers, I used two for mild flavor
I started off making the guacamole first.
Mash the meat from all of the avocados in a large bowl - I mash it with a fork
Add in 8oz of Sour Cream - some folks prefer to omit the sour cream or add in mayo, but I've found this to retain the best flavor and color, and helps it go a little further.
I then add in roughly 2tsp of black pepper, 1T of salt, and just over 1/8 cup of lime juice - or the juice from one lime.
I use a tiny Black & Decker food chopper, for chopping everything else.
Add in 3 fine chopped or "processed" Roma Tomatoes - don't puree the tomatoes, you just want them small, not pure liquid...
1/3 of the large red onion - chopped finely
1/2 a bunch of the cilantro - chopped finely
1/2 seeded jalapeno - chopped finely
5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
Add all to the bowl.
Mix all together.
If it comes out a bit too avocado tasting add in a bit more lime juice & salt - too limey add in some salt - too salty add in a little more sour cream or lime juice.
Makes roughly 3 pints, if I'm fixing it for just my family of 4 I separate it into two containers and throw one into the freezer for use at a later date. It keeps WONDERFULLY well in the freezer, but should be put in the fridge at least overnight to thaw.
Salsa
I chopped all of the remaining tomatoes, put them in a large bowl- roughly 2.5 pounds (same bowl I did the guac in, after washing it)
I also chopped the remaining 3/4 onion, 10 cloves of garlic, 1 1/2 seeded jalapeno, 1 1/2 bunches cilantro, added all of them to the tomatoes.
I then added in the can of black beans that had been drained and rinsed.
Now this is where it gets a bit tricky.
I add in just a "splash" of olive oil - roughly a tablespoon
about 1/2 cup of vinegar, but if the salsa tastes too much like just a lot of tomatoes, add in a bit more until you have a balanced taste to it.
I add in about 1/2 cup of lime juice - about 3 limes.
2T of salt
and about 1 1/2 tsp of black pepper
Again, like with the guacamole if its too salty add in a bit more lime juice, too tomato-y tasting add in more vinegar, too much lime add in more salt, or if you have a few more tomatoes add those in to help tone down the lime or salt taste.
You can also add in a couple of bell peppers if you like (I would of had I not forgotten to get some & hadn't ate the ones I'd picked out of my garden.) You can also add in a can of whole kernel corn that has been drained and rinsed, again, another thing I forgot while I was at the store, and didn't pull any out of my freezer (sheer laziness..lol). A lot of people tend to like to put chili powder in their salsa, I don't like it in mine, and that's just something you can experiment with testing out for your own salsa.
You can also add in more jalapenos or even hotter peppers if you want a hotter salsa...I have to keep in mind my ulcers & the kids' sensitivities to "hot" things, therefore the jalapeno is more just a flavor enhancer than a spice.
Allow both the guacamole and salsa to sit in the fridge for about an hour, at least, before serving for the full flavor to set, but if in a pinch it's still good immediately.
You can also freeze the salsa, but at times when you thaw it it will be a bit runny, just drain off some of the excess juice.
ENJOY!
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