(Originally at NY Times)

Italian Guacamole

Time: 10 minutes

For the guacamole:
Juice of 1 lemon
Scant teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
3 small or 2 medium ripe avocados
1 cup (loosely packed) basil leaves, chopped
 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

For serving:
Sourdough bread, sliced and toasted
1 to 2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated
1 to 2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and in strips
2 cups sugar snaps, topped and tailed.

1. In a medium bowl, stir together lemon juice, salt and garlic. Halve
avocados lengthwise and discard pits and peels. Add flesh to bowl and 
mash coarsely with a fork.

2. Reserve some basil for garnishing, and add remainder to bowl. Add 
scallions and mix gently with a fork.

3. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with reserved basil. Serve 
immediately with toasted bread, endive leaves, fennel, sugar snaps or 
any other crudités.
	
Yield: 4 servings.