I♥Avocados

I adore a smooth, creamy Haas avocado.  I cut them up with tomatoes into a vinaigrette dressing and toss with lettuce for a luscious salad.  If guacamole is on a menu, I have to try it.

The avocado is high in monosaturated fats, the kind that increase your HDL, and high in vitamin E and potassium. 

It is a fruit, in fact, a berry.

The Aztecs used it as a sexual stimulant (wait, aren't they extinct?).

They weigh anywhere from one ounce to 4 pounds (OMG!).

Here are a couple of avocado recipes from Health Magazine, March, 2006 (OK, I'm a tad behind.)

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Avocado-Chile Salsa

Sauce can be served with any grilled seafood, poultry, or meat.  Select the chile based on how much heat you like.  Serranos are hotter than jalapenos, and to make it ever hotter leave in the seeds.  Wear gloves while handling peppers and don't rub your eyes or any other delicate flesh.

Salsa:
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 cup minced red onion
1 jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and minced
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large, nonreactive bowl, and mix gently with a spoon.  Set aside. 

Mahi Mahi

1 1/2 pounds mahi mahi, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.  In a deep nonreactive bowl, marinate fish with the other ingredients for 20-30 minutes before grilling.
2.  Grill over coals or on a grill, or cook under a broiler for 6-8 minutes per side.
3.  Serve the fish with the salsa on top.  Serving size:  1 piece of fish and about 1/2 cup salsa.

Chilled Avocado Soup

2 ripe peeled avocados
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 (4-ounce) can or jar of chopped green chiles
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh cilantro and/or crushed tortilla chips for garnish (or neither)

1.  Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits.
2.  Spoon avocado into a blender, add the remaining ingredients (except the garnish) and puree until creamy.  Chill the soup for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately.  Cover leftovers with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and use within 2 days.

Makes 4 one-cup servings.

Sandy's and Shirley's and My Guacamole

We made this guacamole while vacationing in the cabin at Roan Mountain.

1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix and mash together.  Serve with tortilla chips, or with enchiladas, or however you want.

I like to add a little chili powder.
To keep the leftovers (ha) from discoloring, cover the surface of the guacamole snugly with plastic wrap, so that it is not in contact with air.

[Illustration from Avocado Central]

Comments

[gw]

oh, i wanna sit me down in front of that 4 lb avocado--just me, it, and a spoon. heck, forget the spoon--we'll go mano a mano-- or mano a fruit-o, jes lemme at it.

[keewee]

Avocados are so good in many recipes.I love guacamole and chips, with a nice dark mexican beer to wash it all down.

[Joan]

Avocados...mmmmm....I can't resist them.

[Rarity]

Avocados are my absolute favourite vegetable/fruit/nut or WHATEVER, really. I love just to slice it in two, add salt and pepper and a teaspoon: JUMMMMEEE

- I'm gonna try the salsarecipe for sure! (Even if summer has abruptly come to an end over here...)

[Laura]

Great guac. recipe! It saves the other half a lime for the accompanying drinks. 8*)