I used to make this all the time and then plain forgot about it. It is quick, rich in flavor and lots of good oils from the avocado. I use this on a lot of stovetop-smoked foods and most often with grilled fish or chicken. This summer I started pairing it more with vegetables, like these mini-cauliflowers from the farmers’ market. Sliced dead ripe tomatoes, grilled corn and wax beans are a few other suggestions. Or pan-broiled shrimp.
Makes about 2 cups
1 ripe, but not mushy, Hass avocado
4 to 5 teaspoons fresh lime juice
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspooon hot red pepper sauce, or to taste
Kosher salt
Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Add the lime juice, and process the avocado, stopping a couple of times to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the avocado is very smooth.
Scrape the mixture into a small bowl. Beat in the sour cream and red pepper sauce. Season with additional hot red pepper sauce, if you like, and salt to taste. The sauce can be prepared up to one day in advance and refrigerated with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly to the surface to prevent the top of the sauce from turning brown. Bring the sauce to room temperature before serving.
Note: This makes a thick, dollopy kind of sauce with a velvety texture. If you’d like a thinner sauce, better suited for drizzling or dipping, beat 1 to 2 tablespoons water into the sauce just before serving. Check the seasonings and add additional salt and pepper sauce if you think it needs it.
