Wash the outside of the avocado and carefully slice it in half the long way using a sharp knife. Avocados have big, round pits in the center so don’t expect your knife to sail all the way through.
Twist the halves apart. Hover the knife blade a few inches over the pit and quickly bring it down. It will stick into the pit and you’ll be able to easily remove it from the avocado flesh.
Use a spoon to scoop the avocado into a bowl with high walls.
Add lime, salt, and pepper.
Mash everything together until it is creamy. Note: If you don’t have an avocado masher, you can use a fork, a whisk, or even a potato masher to get the job done. You could also toss it all into a small blender for an extremely smooth whip.
Add the whip to your meal of choice and garnish with fresh herbs.