WEB EXCLUSIVE

Welcome to the first post of Seasonal Bites! This column will make you hungry. Each post will focus on easy seasonal dishes according to the time of year. Think: Creamy pumpkin-chocolate tartelettes with cinnamon whipped cream in the fall, or a fresh capellini pasta with asparagus, peas, and herby parmesan pesto in the spring.

Or a decadent finger-licking game-day snack to munch on while you watch the Super Bowl this Sunday!

I don’t usually watch football, but something about the Super Bowl seems to bring my family and friends together, regardless of football fandom. Maybe it’s the game, maybe it’s the commercials, maybe it’s the abundance of people.

Or maybe it’s the food.

A spread of food is always laid out at Super Bowl gatherings, and it usually skews towards the cheesy, greasy, ooey-gooey, creamy-dreamy, crunchy-munchy side of food. New Year’s resolutions to eat healthy? Get outta here.

It’s not a Super Bowl spread if there isn’t some dip, so be the awesome person who bought the delicious chips and dip this year! Guasacaca is a creamy dreamy Venezuelan avocado salsa, filled with peppers, Key lime, and fresh herbs. Anyone who loves guacamole(basically everyone) will be in for a treat with this twist on the classic dip.

Guasacaca

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ripe avocados, seeded and roughly diced
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 small bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
• 1 medium jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped(optional)
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon Key lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or any oil, really)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Place avocados, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño (if using), garlic, cilantro, and Key lime juice in the workbowl of a food processor (or even a blender!) fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until everything is finely chopped, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil through feed tube. Process until sauce is completely smooth. This might take a little while! Be patient!

Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl and serve immediately.

This guasacaca (whose name is harder to say than it is to whip up) is great for this time of year, as a spin on a classic dip, and as a seasonal dish. While the most common avocado (the Hass) is in season nearly year-round, Key limes–a popular, small lime with more bitter juice–are in peak season right now, making them an ideal pairing with this salsa. They are local citrus to Florida as well, making them a local seasonal produce. Look for them at a farmer’s market, or any grocery store!

You can pair this dip with chip or veggie you want. Try tortilla or bean chips! Or mozzarella sticks! Or onion rings! Or even a spread of veggies, if that’s your thing.

Armed with this exotic easy recipe, you can be prepared for when a troop of hungry people gather around the TV this Sunday. Whether you’re cheering for your favorite team (the Patriots or the Falcons?), watching for the commercials (love the Dorito’s ones!) or spending time with your friends and family, this tasty treat will definitely satisfy your appetite. Just remember to save some for later!