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| Five Great Avocado Recipes - Go For The Green! |
By:
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Avocados are so versatile. Whether served in simple slices or blended in extraordinary sauces, the distinctive rich flavor of avocado in these recipes will kick-start your outdoor dining season in the spring.
Fresh Avocado Salad Recipe
A little sweet, a little savory and a little zest without too much dressing to overwhelm the taste.
Servings: 4
* 1/2 heaping cup plain or Greek yogurt
* 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, divided
* 1 small ripe banana, peeled
* 1 ripe avocado
* Assorted lettuce leaves
* 2 oranges, peeled and divided into sections
* 1 small grapefruit, peeled and divided into sections
* 1 green onion, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1. Place the yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and banana in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. When ready to serve, peel, pit and cut the avocado. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon juice. Place the lettuce on chilled salad plates and arrange the orange and grapefruit sections on top. Add the avocado slices and sprinkle evenly with the green onions. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with the pine nuts. Serve immediately.
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Avocado Citrus Sauce
Excellent with grilled shrimp, chops, salmon or chicken!
Yield: 6 servings
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 cup whipping cream, room temperature
* 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and pureed
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 tablespoon lime juice
* 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
Place the garlic and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute 2 mnutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly, along with the avocado puree, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, orange zest and salt. Reduce the heat to simmer until ready to use. Refrigerate any leftovers.
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Green Goddess Salad Dressing
Yield: 1 cup
* 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
* 2 green onions, white parts only (save the tops for another use or chopped as a garnish)
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 2 limes, jused (3 tablespoons)
* 1 tablespoon sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
* 1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper
* 1 teaspoon lime zest
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Place the avocado flesh, onions, olive oil, lime juice, sour cream or yogurt, bell peppers, lime zest, salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a jar with tight-fitting lide. If necessary, thin with a tablespoon of water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use or up to 3 days. Shake well before using.
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Made at the Table Guacamole
If you must add salt, do so only with a small bit. Instead, let the other flavors shine through.
Yield: 8 servings
* 4 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
* 1 small sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
* 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
* 1 lime, juiced
Place the avocados in a bowl and mash with a fork until on the chunky side of smooth. Stir in the onions, jalapenos, tomatoes and lime juice. Stir until well blended and serve immediately.
Alternative: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chepped fresh cilantro and additional splash of lime juice.
Note: If you have to store this, place plastic wrap directly on the top to prevent discoloration.
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Cold Avocado Lime Soup
Yield: 6 servings
* 1 large ear of corn
* 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
* 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped, divided
* 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
* 1/2 teaspoon onion or garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
* 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
* 1 large lime, juiced and zested
* 1/4 cup Mexican crema
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
1. Place the corn on a grill grate to char or place in a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Turn occasionally to evenly char, around 4 minutes. Remove and transfer to a cutting board. When cooled, cut the corn from the cob. Set the kernels aside.
2. Place the cob, stock, half of the onions, garlic and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to 3 cups. Remove from the heat, discard the corn cob, stir in the jalapeno and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
3. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a large bowl, pressing the solids with a wooden spoon to extract moisture. Discard the solids and return the stock to the saucepan.
4. Stir in the remaining onions, onion salt or garlic salt, white pepper, one of the avocados, lime juice and 1 teaspoon of the lime zest. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the remaining avocado that has been chopped along with the reserved corn kernels. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
5. When ready to serve, ladle the soup into chilled bowls. Whisk together the Mexican crema and olive oil until smooth. Drizzle on top of each serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro and any remaining lime zest.
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AVOCADO TIPS & TRICKS
Purchase avocados at least a couple of days before you are ready to use them. Rarely will you find them ripe and ready to use at the supermarket.
To ripen at home, place in a paper bag and poke lots of holes in it with an ice pick. Leave the bag at room temperature.
To speed up the home ripening process, add an apple to the paper bag.
Avocados can't be cut or sliced ahead of time because the pulp will darken after exposure to air. Citrus juice will help slow the process, but it's best to slice just before you want to add them to a dish in fresh form.
After the avocado husk is removed, it can be finely ground into powder.
- Tammy Algood |
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