Wild guacamole and pantry salsa for cinco de mayo

Cinco de Mayo, the low key holiday in Mexico, is barely celebrated, unless you are in the U.S., where it is one of the best days for tequila and beer sales. On May 5, 1862, invading French forces were defeated at the battle of Puebla, Mexico. You would think this victory would be a celebrated throughout Mexico, but only Puebla commemorates the day with speeches and parades. Canada and a handful of other countries mark the day, some with more imagination than others, with an air guitar competition on the Cayman Islands, and a sky diving event in Vancouver, BC.

During these days (now months) of quarantine, we aren’t always stocked up with the usual items for making fiesta fare. No fresh roma tomatoes or ciliantro, not even a chile, are in our cocina today. But guacamole and salsa can still make an appearance to help us celebrate this almost non-existent holiday.

I found a few wild tomato plants growing on our property, and luckily, wild tomato season is happening during quarantine season. Tomatoes originated in the New World, and I like to think that these are close to the original tomato. The size of blueberries, and very flavorful, they add a pop to our salads. But there aren’t a lot, so a small amount was set aside for guacalmole, and canned tomatoes had to make do for salsa.

Russ gave both guacamole and salsa his seal of approval, pronouncing them “very good”, even with canned tomatoes, parsely from the garden taking the place of cilantro, and bottled hot sauce and garlic adding zip in the absence of chiles. These days, substitutions are in order, and have become the hallmark of a quarantine kitchen. Viva México!

Wild Guacamole

• 1 large, ripe avocado

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• handful of wild tomatoes, or one roma tomato, diced

• handful of chopped cilantro, or parsely if you don’t have cilantro

• juice of 1/2 small lime

• hot sauce, or minced serrano or jalapeño chile to taste

1. Cut avocado in half, remove seed, scoop out flesh, and mash with a fork.

2. Mix in remaining ingredients. Salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pantry Salsa

• 1 15-oz./411 grams can cubed or crushed tomato, drained

• 1/2 medium onion chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• a handful of chopped parsely or cilantro

• bottled hot sauce to taste, or 1-2 minced serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeded or not, depending on heat level

• a squeeze of lime juice

1. Blend tomatoes, if cubed, in food processor until roughly chopped.

2. Spoon tomatoes into a bowl, and add remaining ingredients. Salt to taste.

3. Serve with tortilla chips.