Perfectly Chunky not Mushy Guacamole

Directions

• Step 1 Begin by chopping your tomatoes. Use any fresh tomato of your liking, such as Roma or tomatoes on the vine. Just cut your tomato in half horizontally and use a pointed spoon to scoop out the seeds and juices. This prevents your guacamole from becoming too watery. Then, dice the remaining tomato and toss half a cup into a large mixing bowl.
• Step 2 Next, dice the jalapeño, removing the seeds and ribs for a milder guacamole. (The compound, capsaicin, that gives the chiles its heat is generally found in the seeds and ribs). Toss the jalapeño into the bowl with the tomatoes. After this, chop the garlic and cilantro, adding them both to the bowl with the tomatoes and jalapeño. Finally, squeeze the lemon juice and pour it into the bowl with the tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeños.
• Step 3 Now, slice your avocado in half horizontally and use a spoon to remove the pit and scoop out the flesh. Add all three avocados to your mixing bowl with half a teaspoon of sea salt. Note: I choose avocados that are black not green, firm not mushy, but give a little when pressed. While a lot of recipes advocate for very soft avocados, I don’t care for the over creaminess that it gives my guac. And along these lines, I take heed to not over mash my avocado but chop it into bite-size chunks. It’s a fine balance. You want to mix the avocado with the rest of the ingredients and while you don’t want the chunks to be too large, if you overmix the guac, I find that it becomes distastefully creamy. So, air on the side of chunky but do combine everything together.
• Step 4 Serve with high-quality tortilla chips. I enjoy Casa Sanchéz Thick and Crispy Tortilla Chips, if they’re available in your area. I find mine at my local Safeway grocery store. Enjoy! Serve within a few hours, as it can brown and lose freshness.