Making Mexican in Milano: salsa and guacamole

I know that making Mexican food in Italy may sound like a bizarre idea. After all why would I bother coming all the way here to eat fajitas or tacos? You see, the truth is, Mexican food in Italy sucks. I kid you not. I've tried several restaurants throughout the years and they were all less than memorable. To be honest, some of them were horrible. Which is weird because, let's face it, Mexican food is so easy to make if you buy the right ingredients.

So here's the solution: if you want good Mexican fare while you are in Italy you have to make it yourself, which is what my friend Carolina and I did on Friday night. While she was in charge of making chicken and beef fajitas, my contribution was my famous guacamole and my famous salsa. Why famous, you might ask?

Because I'm the only one in town who knows how to make good ones. Great reason, right?

They are both super easy recipes and, although some people at the dinner table were concerned by the amount of crushed red pepper I poured in both recipes, later they admitted that both were really, really good, although they were really, really spicy. But that's the point of Mexican food —spiciness. Anyhow, the dinner was a success, everyone loved the food and we ended up drinking a little too much wine, something I paid for yesterday on the way to the lake. But that's another story, one that really doesn't belong on a food blog...


EASY GUACAMOLE
Serves 6

3 ripe haas avocados
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Salt and crushed red pepper to taste
Juice of one lime

Mash avocados with a fork, mix with the other ingredients and dress with lime to avoid browning.

EASY SALSA

Serves 6

2 cups chopped fresh tomato
1/2 red onion, chopped
Juice of one lime
Salt and crushed red pepper to taste
One bunch of cilantro, minced

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, let stand for ten minutes before serving.