Guacamole

Editor's note: Chef Roberto Santibañez, the chef/owner of Fonda in Brooklyn, New York shared this recipe as part of a festive taco party menu he created for Epicurious. He recommends serving this guacamole with his Carnitas or Carne Adobada Tacos . Before you start gobbling delicate corn tortillas topped with salty, tasty meat in the taquerias of central Mexico, you get to crown your snack with your choice of several salsas, often including what might be my favorite taco condiment of all: guacamole taquero. Blurring the line between guacamole and salsa, this smooth blend of creamy avocado and tart tomatillos packs a spicy punch from serrano chiles and a hint of pungent epazote (many cooks add cilantro instead and so can you). I'll put this on just about any imaginable taco, but it's especially amazing spooned over those filled with Carnitas ,Steak , and grilled cactus.

An Italian take on the classic Mexican starter.

his Colombian version of guacamole is smoother than most Mexican guacamoles, and it's used as a sauce for grilled meats, not just as a dip for tortilla chips.
This recipe originally accompanied Beer-Marinated Flank Steak with Aji and Guacamole .

Folding fruit into guacamole is an inspired tradition in Mexican cooking. Tropical mangoes are a natural pairing, their silky flesh adding a subtle tartness to creamy avocado. To herald the holiday season, pomegranate seeds flash bright red against the guacamole's cilantro-flecked green. Head over here for our guide to how to cut a pomegranate.

Don't worry about the fat; it's mostly the healthy kind in the avocado. Mixing in fruits boosts this appetizer's fiber count.

Forget placing the avocado pit in your guacamole — unless you like how it looks. It doesn't stop the dip from turning brown.

Saturday snack. From Golden Door in Escondido, California. Adapted from The Golden Door Cooks Light & Easy (Gibbs-Smith), out in May, this dip sheds calories by subbing asparagus for some avocado.

Paired with tortilla chips, this guacamole makes an excellent starter. Also offer chilled Mexican beer throughout the meal.

Thai spicing brings new flavor to an avocado classic. Add more color by serving this in a large leaf of red cabbage.

Guacamole con Tomatillos Use Haas avocados if available; their buttery creaminess makes for the best guacamole.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve with jicama sticks, radish slices, peeled cooked shrimp, and corn tortilla chips.

Plain nonfat yogurt heightens the texture of this easy dip while adding a nice tang. To thicken the yogurt properly, it needs to be drained, so begin preparing the guacamole at least two hours ahead. Offer light beer and iced tea throughout dinner.

Doña Tomasa and other Oaxacans often thin their guacamole with water to make a dipping sauce. Sometimes a little cream or milk is added as well.