I pride myself on finding creative things to prepare with items that I find on sale. I also focus on buying fruits and vegetables that are in season. For example, planning a dish that requires lots of fresh tomatoes in the dead of winter usually results in a pricey ticket at the checkout, as well as a disappointing flavorless dish at home. The other day on a trip to our local Sprouts Market I discovered avocados on sale 3/ $1.00, which got my attention since many times they are two dollars each, so I bagged a half a dozen of the precious black eggs and was on my way.The avocado or alligator pear is native to central Mexico. The earliest evidence of this fruit was found in a cave in Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico, and dates back to around 10,000 BC. The avocado also has a long history of cultivation in South America. A water vessel shaped like an avocado was found in the ruins of the pre-Incan city of Chan Chan in Peru. Avocados are now found growing in most tropical regions as well as the Mediterranean.
As an appetizer:
There are many ways to enjoy the deliciously smooth flavor of the avocado, the most obvious or well know being guacamole. There are of course many ways to prepare this. I like my guacamole rather simple, allowing the avocado to be the star of the show. I select fruit that is dark in color but that is still firm enough to put on the grill. I begin by halving the fruit and removing the pits, brushing a light coat of olive oil over the exposed surface. Avocados will turn brown rather quickly once opened, so oil the fruit soon after you cut it. Lime juice can also used to prevent the discoloring, but since we are going to grill, I use the oil. I place halves face down on the grill over medium flame, for about 5 minutes watching closely. You are looking for nicely colored grill marks. Cooking time varies depending on how hard the avocados were to begin with and the heat of your grill. Not only does this process gives a subtle smokey flavor to the fruit, it also softens the fruit to the perfect consistency.
- 2 large avocados
- 1 tablespoon puréed garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt to taste
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Mash the avocados in a bowl with the puréed garlic, add lime juice, chili powder, and a light pinch of salt.
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That's it, pure and simple.
As a main course:
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 avocado cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cups non fat sour cream
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoons chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- paprika for garnish
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Combine the stock, avocado, sour cream, onion, lemon juice, garlic, and chili powder in a blender. Process until puréed. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
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Chill for 45 minutes before serving cold, or slowly warm over medium heat.
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Garnish either way with a dab of sour cream and a pinch of paprika.
As a Dessert:
Jus Alpukat is an Indonesian shake that I had the pleasure of experiencing on a visit to Malaysia. It consists of chunks of avocado, chocolate syrup and condensed milk. Surprisingly delicious!
So you see, as a starter, main course, or dessert, the versatile avocado should not be considered just another dip in the crowd.