Taco Night

Photo: Williams Sonoma website

We love having guests over. It seems as if we've been doing a lot of entertaining lately and it makes my heart happy. For me, having guests means trying to create different menus/themes for them. It really helps when my guests are fellow foodies (I'm a baby foodie) because then I can use different recipes. Our next get together is something so simply and fun. We're doing a Taco Bar. We'll have guacamole and salsa as well as all of the ingredients for CHICKEN TACOS and BAKED FISH TACOS.  I am especially excited about the fish tacos. I've never, ever made fish tacos before. My family always had the regular ground beef tacos when I was small. Mind you, those are wonderful. I just like trying new things. Fortunately for me, my guests like trying new things as well.

 Here is the recipe for Guacamole from Williams Sonoma that I am going to use.

This recipe calls for preparing the guacamole in a molcajete, a mortar and pestle carved from volcanic rock. One of the world's oldest kitchen tools, it was used by the Aztecs in Mexico for grinding corn into flour.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. diced white onion
• 2 serrano chilies, finely chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more as needed
• 2 large avocados, preferably Haas
• 2 Tbs. finely minced fresh cilantro

For the garnish:

• 1 Tbs. small fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped white onion (optional)
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped ripe tomato (optional)

Directions:

Put the tomato, onion, chilies, lime juice, garlic and the 1/2 tsp. salt in a molcajete or small bowl, and smash with a pestle or fork to a coarse paste. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into the tomato mixture. Add the minced cilantro and mix and mash, leaving some lumps. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt.

If you want, sprinkle the guacamole with any or all of the garnishes and serve immediately, if possible. To keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface. To keep for up to 3 hours, do not add the cilantro until just before serving, and cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

We eat a LOT of  guacamole at our home. I enjoy making it and usually don't use a recipe. I kind of wing it and it usually turns out pretty good. This go 'round, I'll be using the Williams Sonoma recipe. I'll let you know how it goes.