Avocado by itself is such a hearty flavorful ingredient, that it can add rich soul to many appetizers, salads or sides. According to Wikipedia, a whole medium avocado contains approximately 21 grams of fat, 60% more potassium than bananas, a plentiful dose of vitamins B, E and K, and more fiber than any other fruit.
When purchasing the perfect avocado, look for one that gives slightly when gently squeezed in the palm of your hand. Slice an avocado down one of its oblong sides, and up the other in a continuous slit. Pull the two sides apart. If you are mashing the fruit, pop the seed out by squeezing the seeded half, and if you are slicing the fruit and need to maintain its shape, thwack your knife right into the center of the seed so it sticks, and pull back your knife. When you spoon the flesh out of an avocado you should be able to gently maneuver the entire half of the fruit's meat in one piece. Then, place seed-side down and slice into thin strips, or reserve avocado half for serving as-is.
When using avocado in any recipe, a dash of lemon or lime juice will help the fruit maintain its coloring and reduce browning.
Avocados are perhaps best known for their use in guacamole. When it comes to making the perfect guacamole, the simpler the better. Some of the most popular guacamole dishes include simply avocados mashed with garlic salt, or mashed garlic and sea salt. Other variations include a dallop of sour cream, a serving of salsa, a smattering of diced cilantro, or a sampling of all three. Some of the most popular packaged guacamole including those from world famous Mexican food chef Rick Bayless, and Trader Joes grocer include variations of the above ingredients. Mash your avocadoes using mild quantities of any of the above-mentioned ingredients and you can't go wrong. For an alternative to guacamole, you can enhance the flavor of your avocado dip by adding corn, fresh tomatoes, 4 oz. goat's cheese or diced mangoes.
Following are recipes for other ways to use this delicious fruit.
Avocado, Tomato and Goats Cheese Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 avocados
- 2 tomatoes
- 8 oz. firm goats cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 8 large bibb lettuce leaves
Directions
- Line dish with lettuce leaves.
- Slice avocadoes, tomatoes and goats cheese into 1/8-inch wedges. (Tip: if goats cheese is very soft, try wrapping thread or dental floss around it and pulling through to form slices.)
- Layer avocado, tomato and cheese over lettuce.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar.
Avocado and Shrimp Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 avocados
- 1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut up
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1/8 cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
- Slice avocados in half.
- Combine remaining ingredients, and chill.
- Mound shrimp salad into and on top of avocado halfs.
- Serve with firm bread, rolls or crackers.
