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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
Do you remember the first time you tasted an avocado?
An avocado is not a pretty picture. Shaped like a pear but without a pear's smooth, colorful skin, the avocado looks like an unattractive teenager with skin problems. But, underneath that skin lays a smooth, silky, pale green meat surrounding a giant stone.
The way to reach the rich interior is to cut the avocado in two as you would an apple, through the stem end. The problem is that the big stone inside won't be penetrated so you find yourself with a cut all of the way around but not through the stubborn fruit. Not to worry. Just twist each half in a different direction and it will come apart in two pieces.
However, the seed will be firmly imbedded in one of the halves. How can it be removed without damaging the meat? Simple, if you know how. Hit the seed with a heavy chef's knife and then twist the imbedded knife. Out comes the seed, leaving you with two avocado halves each with a nice round well in the center just begging to be filled.
If you want to remove the meat from the skin, slip a spoon under the skin and work your way around, loosening the skin as you go. Freed of pit and skin you can slice the meaty avocado to use in salads of any kind, as a base for shrimp or other seafood salads, or fill the pit with your favorite salad dressing or simply with balsamic vinegar and serve each half as an individual side dish or first course, or as a luncheon main dish.
Avocados don't cook well â¤" heat tends to bring out a metallic taste that isn't pleasant. But it is the basis for a Mexican dish that every American has come to love, guacamole. Guacamole and corn chips are always a hit.
There probably are as many recipes for guacamole as there are for meatloaf, each one different from the others and each one delicious. They all have a few things in common: hot peppers and lemon or lime juice. If you can't get fresh hot peppers, use canned, or use hot pepper sauce (to taste), or skip the peppers (most Americans won't mind)
Secrets regarding great guacamole:
1. Do not mash your avocados. The texture you want is slightly chunky, not liquefied into a paste or filled with air.
2. Do not use tomatoes unless they are plum tomatoes because they have much less liquid than others.
3. Do not use garlic. This luscious green dip is meant to be garlic-free.
4. Guacamole is excellent spread on turkey, pork sandwiches or chicken. It is also great spooned over tacos, burritos, and tostadas.
5. Guacamole tends to turn brown when exposed to air, so keep it tightly covered once it is made.
6. Any leftover guacamole will freeze beautifully and thaws quickly when you need a quick dip.
Pretty Simple Guacamole
This was originally made with lemon juice, but Mexican people use lime. Either works very well but there is a difference in taste, of course. Serve with tortilla chips or as a salad on a bed of greens.
3 ripe avocados, pitted
2 small plum tomatoes, diced small
1 lemon or lime, juiced, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or more
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Scoop avocado into a bowl. Mash with a fork. Stir in plum tomatoes, lemon or lime, salt and ground cumin. Makes about 3 cups.
California Style Guacamole
If you don't have fresh or dried cilantro, substitute flat-leaf parsley.
5 ripe avocados
1 1/2 cups finely minced white onion
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 jalapeno chiles, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced (or lemons)
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
Scoop avocado flesh into a bowl. With a fork mash to preferred consistency, leaving some lumps. Stir remaining ingredients into avocado. Makes about 5 cups.
Guacamole Made with Salsa Fresca
In a rush use purchased salsa. But, the Salsa Fresca recipe that follows is really good.
Guacamole:
1 large avocado, pitted
1/2 cup salsa
Salsa Fresca:
1 pound tomatoes, small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 large white onion, small dice
3 whole jalapenos, small dice
1/4 cup minced cilantro
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
Scoop out avocado flesh. Mash with fork, leaving some lumps. Combine remaining ingredients and stir 1/2 cup into avocado. Makes 1 1/4 cups guacamole and 2 cups salsa.
Much of California's avocado crop was frozen this year. Three cheers for Mexico and Chile!
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