Mango salsa and guacamole

Just back from several days in Palm Springs, whence the radio silence on the blog. We shared a house with a few friends up in the north side of town. A good time — and good food and drink — were had by all, including delicious chicken and asparagus on the grill (ah, to cook out!), rockin’ pulled pork (we’ve got this down to a 24-hour cycle now) and copious amounts of grapefruit fresh off the trees in the backyard. Greyhound, anyone?

But you gotta have snack food to fill in the gaps between the big meals, so we whipped up big batches of mango salsa and guacamole. They didn’t last long. Recipes after the jump.

Mango salsa
2 large mangos, finely diced
1 ripe avocado, finely diced (optional)
1/2 red onion, minced
2-3 Tbsp mint, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
pinch of salt
good crack of pepper
pinch of sugar (optional, if mango is underripe)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently so as not to break down the mango and avocado. Serve immediately.

Our mangos were not super ripe, so they were both dry and a little tart. This time I added the avocado for texture, and maybe as much as 1 tsp sugar to bring out the sweetness. When mangos are very ripe and juicy, these may be unnecessary (though perhaps still desirable).

Guacamole
4 ripe avocados, finely diced
1/2 red onion, minced
juice of 1 lemon
upwards of 1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
several dashes Tabasco

Combine all ingredients in a wide, shallow dish and combine with a fork, mashing the avocado as you mix. Ideally you will have a combination of whole bits and creamy paste. Season to taste — avocados can require a surprising amount of seasoning. Good immediately, but better the next day. To keep, apply cling wrap directly to the surface of the guac and refrigerate.