How to make authentic guacamole: Killingly restaurateur spills recipe for ‘Aztec butter’
Emmanuel Martinez, owner of the Mexican Grill restaurant in Killingly, knows guacamole.
The Guadalajara native grew up on “Aztec butter,” learning the ins-and-outs of the creamy condiment at the feet of his mother and grandmother. They both mixed up batches of the dip almost daily in the family's west Mexico home.
“The most important thing is to have fresh ingredients,” Martinez said from the dining room of the North Main Street eatery he and his cousins opened up six years ago. “You need ripe avocados – we use Hass avocados – fresh lime, onion and tomato, along with spices, like oregano, salt, pepper and cilantro.”
Martinez said his recipe can be tweaked to meet customer’s heat-tolerance levels with the additions of jalapenos or habanero peppers, a customization celebrated on Nov. 14, set aside as "National Spicy Guacamole Day."
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“Everyone in Mexico has their own recipe and they can vary depending on which region they’re from,” he said. “In the south, you might see mangos put in, or sometimes cucumbers in the central part of the country. But ours is the best.”
Martinez uses a knife and deep spoon to open, pit and scoop avocado chunks into a stone molcajete grinder before pulverizing the flesh with a pestle. One small tomato gets diced and added, along with about half a chopped white onion.
Martinez next sprinkles three heaping teaspoons of cilantro to the mix and drizzles in juice of one lime. Salt, pepper and oregano are added and – after one last mix – the dish is served with warm tortilla chips.
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“This is biggest appetizer seller and we make it fresh every day,” he said. “It’s something I also make at home every weekend and it’s a tradition to serve whenever families get together or there’s a party.”
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Martinez said while the specific ingredients and spice level can vary from cook to cook, there are a couple of steps that can’t be skipped.
“No matter what you put in, you have to do it with love and passion,” he said. “And take all the time you need – there’s no reason to go fast.”
John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at (860) 857-6965
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Killingly Mexican Grill owner, Guadalajara native's guacamole recipe
