Guacomole

Anyone who tells you that guacamole is just a mashed avocado with a little salsa and lime juice is out of their minds. While I'm the first to admit avocados are delicious on their own (or mashed into toast with a little salt--yum), guacamole deserves to be as interesting and spicy as your favorite salsa. It just takes a little legwork. Or in this case, wrist work.

It bears mentioning that I will almost always find a way to incorporate smoked Spanish paprika into my food. I would highly recommend that you pick some up. It gives everything an addictive smoky complexity. Great on meats, in soups, salad dressing, eggs, popcorn...actually I struggle to think of something it wouldn't improve. Whole Foods sells it, but I tend to buy mine in bulk from here.

Guacamole

• 3 ripe avocados
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 4 tsp hot sauce (Tapatio is my weapon of choice)
• 1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (optional)

Place garlic and onion in a medium bowl. Whisk in lemon juice, salt, pepper, hot sauce and paprika. Allow to sit for about 20 minutes and then whisk again. Place the meat of the avocado in the bowl and use a fork to mash until very smooth and creamy and hot sauce mixture has been incorporated, about 5 minutes. Season with additional hot sauce & salt to taste. It's best given a bit of time to sit, so I try to remember to make this a couple hours ahead of time. But sometimes I don't. And sometimes the bag of tortilla chips is calling to me, and it's still delicious.