I don’t trust people who don’t like avocado. I mean, what is there about them not to absolutely love? Avo season is literally one of my favourite times of the year as I can eat these orbs of goodness with joyous abandon. So when I was asked by ZZ2 to create an avocado-based recipe for a competition – my mind went a haywire.
But what could I make that would be different? Avo chocolate mousse? Boring. Avo ice cream? Nah. Avo smoothies? Meh. There was also the worry that whatever I made, the avo needed to be king of the dish. In other words, if the avo wasn’t there, the plate would be empty. And although I wanted the dish to be beautiful, it needed to be super easy, so that anyone could make it. Or what’s the point?
And so my trio of avo starter was born. A combination of textures, flavours and temperatures, to show just how versatile this fruit is, both in how you cook it and how their flavour changes.
Avocado soup
Texture: Smooth
Flavour: Delicate
Temperature: Chilled
A rich, delicate cold soup with cucumber, pea, mint and sour cream.
Avo and Salmon ceviche
Texture: Chunky
Flavour: Sharp and Spicy
Temperature: Room temperature
Chunks of avo interspersed with salmon, topped with thingy sliced radish and a lemony chilli salsa.
Avo Chips
Texture: Crunchy
Flavour: “Tempura”
Temperature: Warm on the outside, cool on the inside.
Chunky avo slices flash fried in a matzah meal batter.
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The Recipes
Avocado soup
- 2 avocados peeled and chopped.
- ½ English cucumber, peeled.
- 1-cup baby peas, thawed.
- ½ cup cold water.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sour cream to garnish.
Combine and blend all the ingredients, except for sour cream. When smooth place in bowl and top with cream and black pepper.
Avo and Salmon ceviche
- 1 avo, chopped into squares.
- 1 Fresh salmon fillet, chopped into squares.
- A handful of radishes, thinly sliced.
(For salsa)
1 tomato, ¼ cucumber, ½ onion, bunch of coriander, 1 chilli, chopped and dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
Toss avo and salmon in lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Let sit for 5 minutes. The salmon will “cook” from the acidity. Layer them on the plate. Top with thin slices of radish. Top with salsa.
Avo Chips
- 1 avo, sliced lengthways.
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup matza meal
- salt and pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
Slice avo into “chips”. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Coat avo in flour, then egg, then Matza meal. I use matzah meal as it is already “cooked” and doesn’t need lengthy frying. This means that the avo wont be hot all the way through. Heat oil on high. Carefully drop in avo slices for not more than a minute.
Sides
Because you never know how people like their food seasoned, I chose to add extra sliced of chilli, lemon, salt and pepper that can be used along with any of the trio of starters.
