Support the good #BoatLife with these appetizers
Why go store-bought when you can make something spectacular yourself? Lake days are the best days, and everyone on board would welcome some salsa on the starboard and guacamole on the port side. Delicious isn't complicated: It's about fresh ingredients, of the highest quality, in a recipe done right.
With a hoppy pilsner in hand and your crew in tow, it’s what every chip in the bag aspires to dip into.
Your salsa also should rise to the occasion. Two words: restaurant style. It’s as simple as roasting jalapeños first — and adding cilantro. It pairs nicely with your homemade guacamole, like Poncho and Lefty (without a messy end).
Homemade guac
Avocado lovers will know after one taste: You’ve found your last guacamole recipe. Don’t be offended if your friends ask if you’ll have it on hand when you invite them out on the boat. It’s that good.
Guacamole ingredients:
- 3 ripe avocados
- ½ diced small yellow onion
- 2 diced Roma tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed (or not), and diced
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 juiced lime
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Guacamole recipe:
Grab your Everyday Carry knife out of your pocket and cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop them into a mixing bowl. Choose avocados with stems if possible, because they’re fresher. Mash the avocado with a fork until the texture is how you like it: chunky or smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix them together. Give it a taste test and add a pinch more salt or lime juice if needed. (Don’t take the easy way out with a plastic bottle shaped like a lime.) Roma tomatoes are less juicy than other varieties, and they won’t water down your guac.
Serve with quality tortilla chips. Pick one with a short ingredient list and the ideal thickness to deadlift your guacamole. (Flimsy chips won’t hold up.) And keep this recipe bookmarked: Your guests will ask for it.
Salsa
Once you have your classic guacamole, you’ll also need a stellar salsa plan. The ideal choice is spicy, perfectly balanced with its garlic and onion flavors, and will not be confused with its jarred cousins.
Homemade salsa ingredients:
- 1 ¼ pounds ripe Roma tomatoes (about 5 or 6)
- 1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
- 2 green onions, ends trimmed, chopped into thirds
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion (about ¼ of a medium)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, roasted, seeded, and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro (a handful)
- 1 large clove of garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Homemade salsa recipe:
Start with the step amateurs skip. Place your jalapeño in a skillet over medium heat. Roast it, turning it often enough that the skin gets a slight tinge, but doesn’t burn. Seed it (or not, for extra spice) and chop it. Do not touch your eyes during this step.
Place the diced pepper in a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients. (You can substitute red onion for green onion for a more oniony flavor. Use serrano pepper for extra heat.) Pulse in one-second bursts until everything gets chopped.
Refrigerate your masterpiece for about an hour before serving. This helps the flavors meld. It also shows extreme willpower. But it’ll be worth it. Pair our salsa and guac with festive nachors and mix up these spicy margaritas to enjoy with it all.