Try Rick Bayless' Guacamole Bar for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

There is no such thing as the "perfect" guacamole recipe. To me, guacamole is one of those dishes that is - and should be - a unique creation every single time. My guacamole depends on my mood, the occasion, who the eaters are, and what is in my fridge and pantry. Avocados are good for you and have such a mild, creamy texture that pairs well with, well, pretty much anything, so the possibilities are endless. (Note to self: try Chocolate Chip Guacamole next . . .)

For Cinco de Mayo I will be making a roasted garlic guacamole with side additions that can be added by my guests. I have used the basic recipe of Rick Bayless, a south-of-the-border anthropologist/chef I admire, featured in this month's Eating Well magazine. My hat is off to you, Chef Bayless - the addition of roasted garlic is genius! The only thing I changed from Chef Bayess' recipe is that I used lemon juice instead of lime because I think garlic and lemon is a fabulous flavor combination. Lemon juice also doesn't take over as much as lime juice does.

Just set this out in bowls and let everyone scoop the guacamole onto chips and then sprinkle with toppings of choice: diced cilantro, diced red bell peppers or jalapeño peppers, sliced green onions, crumbled queso fresco, grated pepper jack, pepitos (toasted pumpkin seeds), etc., etc.

Arriba! Arriba!

ROASTED GARLIC GUACAMOLE

1 bulb garlic
½ tablespoon olive oil
3 large ripe Haas avocados, mashed
Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
A dash of Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut top off of garlic bulb across the diameter of the bulb about ¼ inch from top of bulb to expose all the cloves. Drizzle olive oil over top of cloves. Wrap bulb in aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from foil and let cool to room temperature.

Holding bulb in your hand with cut side up, squeeze bulb from bottom, letting cloves ooze out into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mashing with a fork as you go. Taste frequently!

Serve with chips, and make toppings available. I used diced red bell pepper, thinly sliced green onions, diced jalapeños, crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds.

-- posted by Donna