Avocado

When I lived in California, many of my neighbors had avocado trees.  They were truly blessed.  I had a lemon tree, but no avocado tree.  I was lucky enough though to have a young boy in the neighborhood that would come around and sell me avocados from his families’ tree for 12 for $1.00.  I wish that was the case now.  I’m feeling lucky when I can find them for sale at a $1.00 each and ripe.  If they are not ripe you need to plan ahead by buying them a week in advance and putting them in a brown paper bag to ripen.  Avocados have been on sale lately and available in Maquoketa stores.  It must be harvesting season south of the equator. 

I love avocados and am happy to just eat them plain with a little salt on them, but to add one to a salad or sandwich it becomes a whole new lovely thing. 

Some years ago, I invested in a molcajete so I could make authentic guacamole.  This is a Mexican tool that is like a mortar made of lava rock.  I had to prep it when I first bought it by rubbing it with garlic.  I thought I would share my guacamole recipe with you and a couple more simple avocado recipes today. 

Guacamole

3 large, ripe avocados, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 finely diced red onion (Once chopped, rinse in strainer with water running through it to take bite out.)

1 ripe jalapeño chili peppers, seeds removed and finely diced (Keep seeds if you like it hot)

1 clove garlic

1/8 teaspoon  Kosher coarse salt

1/2 freshly squeezed small lime

Although I have a molcajete, you can do this in just a blender or processor. 

Add the onion to the molcajete, along with the garlic, jalapeño and some salt. Grind them together until the bits have fallen apart slightly, and the mixture looks wet and smells aromatic. Add the avocados into the molcajete and grind some more, until the mixture is mostly smooth, leaving a few avocado chunks here and there for texture. I like chunky guacamole.  Add your cilantro and squeeze your 1/2 of  lime.  Taste and see if it needs more salt.  Add more salt and lime juice if needed. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.  My grandsons like to make them and have them warm.  You just cut up a corn tortilla with a kitchen scissors and fry in hot vegetable oil until they are crispy and drain on paper towel.  You can also oven bake them until they are crispy if you like.  We prefer frying them.

The lime helps delay oxidation, but not all.  Eat right away.  If the guacamole is stored overnight, you will have a dark discoloration. This will not hurt you, and will not change the taste but looks are important also.

Variation:  Some people like their guacamole with a little tomato.  You can add some if you like, but there should be more avocado than tomato.  I’m a plainest and like mine without. 

Avocado Tomato Melt

Crusty sliced bread

1 ripe avocado

1 large sliced thin heirloom tomato (I planted mine this week)

Coarse salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (Planted mine also this week. This is an annual in Iowa)

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh ground black pepper

1 garlic clove 

  

Preheat oven broiler to high. Under the broiler, toast the bread slices on a baking sheet until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately rub the toast with a peeled garlic clove.

Salt the tomato and let sit on a paper towel to take out some of the liquid.

Top pieces of toast with sliced avocado pieces and a slice of tomato.

Sprinkle chopped basil leaves over the tomatoes. Put a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese over the basil, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, and top with a pinch of black pepper.

Broil for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove from oven and serve warm. 

You know what would make this even better?  Bacon or Canadian bacon.  Everything is better with bacon.

Add it before the slice of mozzarella cheese. 

Guacamole Pasta

6 ounces uncooked linguine pasta

1 ripe avocado

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice

2 large minced garlic cloves

3 tablespoon prepared salsa of your choice (has onions and chili already in it for you)

1 bunch fresh cilantro or for those who do no like cilantro use parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Cook pasta in boiling salt water according to package directions until al dente. 

While the pasta is cooking, place the avocado, lime juice, garlic, prepared salsa, cilantro, salt, and pepper into a food processor or blender. Process until mixture is smooth and creamy.

When pasta is al dente, remove it from heat, drain, and place the cooked pasta into a large serving bowl.  Safe some of your pasta water.  Add the guacamole sauce and toss until the pasta is well coated. If  it is too thick you may add a tiny bit of pasta water.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Tomorrow if Mother's Day.  Do something very special for her.  Fix a nice brunch for her or take her out to brunch.  

I'll see ya tomorrow.  Enjoy your weekend.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.