Fresh Tomato Guacamole

Here's a delicious summer guacamole with a bit more emphasis on the tomatoes than the avocados, great when a larger quantity with more staying power is needed. Serve as a sauce for quesadillas or soft tacos, or as a dip with stoneground tortilla chips.

Makes: about 2 cups; serves 8 or more as an appetizer

• 3 medium ripe summer  tomatoes
  (try an heirloom variety or two)
• 1 medium ripe avocado
• Juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, crushed, optional
• 1 to 2 small fresh hot chilies, seeded and minced
  or one 4- to 8-ounce can mild green chilies
• 2 scallions, sliced
• ¼ cup  fresh cilantro leaves, or more to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Peel and pit the avocado and cut into large chunks. Put the tomatoes and avocado in the container of a food processor along with the remaining ingredients.

Pulse on and off until the ingredients are evenly and coarsely chopped. Leave a bit chunky; be careful not to over process. Serve at once as suggested in the headnote. Cover any leftovers tightly and refrigerate; best used within two days.

• Here are lots more recipes for salsas, chutneys, and relishes.