Since our teens were tots, we've loved a Mexican ''feast.'' When they were very young, we simply opened a taco kit and cranked up the mariachi tunes. In the middle grades, we introduced ''So Simple Salsa'' (find our five-minute recipe at www.desperationdinners.com). Years later, our daughters had advanced to making their own guacamole with fresh avocados.
Buying the right avocados can make or break guacamole. Our tip: Buy green, hard (unripe) avocados three days to a week ahead. Leave them on the counter, and as soon as they turn black and yield to gentle pressure, put them in the refrigerator to bring the ripening to a near standstill. (They'll keep at this stage for at least three more days and often up to five more.)
This method gives you ripe avocados still firm enough to use in a salad and prevents brown spots on the flesh. (If you buy a black, ripe avocado, make sure that it's not too soft when pressed, or it's likely to be marred with brown inside.) If you need to hurry the ripening process, put avocados into a brown paper bag with an apple or banana.
Today's recipe for Guacamole Salad is a bit more sophisticated than plain guacamole. Serve it with chilled shrimp or grilled-chicken skewers.
MENU SUGGESTION
• Guacamole Salad
• Precooked and peeled shrimp or grilled chicken
• Warm flour tortillas
Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross' latest book is Cheap. Fast. Good! Their website is desperationdinners.com.
