Avocado Dip
1 large California avocado, seed removed
4 ounces chopped, cooked spinach
2 ounces low fat cottage cheese
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 green onions, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Scoop the flesh out of the avocado and blend it thoroughly in a food processor with the spinach. Add the cottage cheese and liquidize again. Then mix in the garlic and lemon juice to taste, and stir in the chopped spring onions. Season to taste with salt and paprika. Chill for a while before serving. Serves 2.
Cajun Guacamole
2 California avocados
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup small cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped, fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 rounded teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarsely mash, do not puree avocados; stir in lemon juice. Fold in remaining ingredients. Guacamole is best made as close to serving as possible. For short term storage, seal in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the guacamole. Serves 6.
Israeli Avocado Salad
1/2 cup mixed salad greens or watercress
5 tablespoons toasted cumin vinaigrette; recipe follows
1 California avocado, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, very coarsely chopped
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced seeded cucumber
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette:
3 to 4 tablespoons cumin seeds
2/3 cup mild olive oil
1/3 cup fruity olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lightly dress the greens with some of the vinaigrette and place on a salad plate. Toss the remaining ingredients with the remaining vinaigrette and mound on the greens. To make Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette, toast the cumin seeds in a small skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant; it will take just a minute or two. Grind the cumin in a spice mill, then whisk together with the remaining ingredients.
Pesto Avocado Torta
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups butter, softened
2 California avocados
French bread
Pesto:
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic, crushed
Prepare pesto. Line 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with foil. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into bottom of loaf pan; spread evenly. Spread pesto over cream cheese layer. Spoon another 1 cup cream cheese mixture over pesto, spreading evenly. Halve, seed and peel avocados. Cut each half into 8 slices but do not pull apart. Lay sliced avocado halves on cream cheese layer and top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Thirty minutes before serving, lift torta from loaf pan and remove foil. Serve with large slices of French bread. Serves 8.
Pesto Preparation:
Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
Avocado Cream Soup
2 large ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup half and half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper
Place the chopped avocados in an electric blender or food processor and puree. Add the half and half and blend well. Combine the chicken stock with the avocado puree in a bowl, stirring well. Pass the mixture through a sieve, then stir in the hot pepper sauce, and add salt and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. 2 appetizer servings.
Avocado Pocket Sandwiches
1 avocado, halved and peeled
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup bottled Italian dressing
4 pita breads
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
Dice half the avocado. Reserve other half. Gently toss diced avocado, cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, and cheese with Italian dressing. Slit pita breads and separate halfway around by pulling edges apart to form a pocket. Fill each with 1/4 of the mixture. Mash remaining avocado with fork and stir in lemon juice and tomato. Spoon inside each sandwich. 4 pocket sandwiches.
Spanish Rice with Avocado
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cup uncooked rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 can 14 1/2 ounces chicken broth
1 small avocado
Place butter and oil in 2 quart pan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until rice looks milky and opaque. Add salt, oregano, cumin, turmeric and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. cover; reduce heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Peel and pit avocado; dice. Fluff up rice with fork; add avocado and toss gently. Turn off heat; let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
Broccoli and Avocado Salad
1 small bunch broccoli
salt to taste
1 large ripe avocado
1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon style mustard
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
Cut the broccoli into florets. If the pieces are large, cut the stems in half. Rinse and drain them. Reserve the stems for another use. Drop broccoli into boiling salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Drain and run the broccoli briefly under cold water to cool. Drain again and chill. Cut the avocado in half. Peel each half and remove the pit. Cut each half into 8 lengthwise strips. Squeeze the lemon half over the strips to prevent discoloration. Arrange the broccoli and the avocado alternately on each of 4 serving plates. Blend the mustard, garlic, vinegar, pepper and oil, adding salt if needed, in a bowl with a wire whisk. Pour over the broccoli and avocado. Serve immediately.
Avocado Ice Cream
2 large avocados, peeled, seeded and sliced
4 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons tequila or light rum
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine the avocados and 1 cup of the cream in the container of a blender or processor. Add the liquor and whirl until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Beat the egg yolks with another cup of the cream. In a saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk to blend thoroughly. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups of cream and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Whisk half the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and chill for 2 hours. Combine the avocado mixture and the egg yolk mixture in the container of an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. 8 servings.
Orange Avocado Salad
3 oranges, pared and sliced
2 avocados, sliced
6 thin slices red onion, separated into rings
salad greens
Orange Dressing:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Arrange oranges, avocados and onion on salad greens on 6 salad plates. Serve with Orange Dressing. Shake all dressing ingredients in tightly covered container.
Crab and Avocado Fritters
2 pounds crab meat
salt
1 cup diced green onions
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 medium avocado, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
corn oil for deep frying
all purpose flour
thinly slivered green onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup hot chili salsa
Line baking sheet with parchment. Combine crab, 1 cup green onions and avocado in large bowl. Mix eggs, salsa and salt; add to crab. Mix in bread crumbs. Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on prepared sheet. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 3 hours. Can be prepared one day ahead and frozen. Do not thaw before cooking. Preheat oven to lowest setting. Line another baking sheet with paper towels. Pour oil into large skillet to depth of 3 inches. Heat to 350F. Dust fritters with flour. Carefully ad to oil in batches; do not crowd and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side for refrigerated fritters and about 3 minutes per side for frozen. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to prepared sheet and keep warm in oven until all are cooked. Garnish with green onion slivers and serve immediately. Makes 4 dozen.
Spicy Duck Salad with Avocado Tarragon Dressing
4 boneless duck breast halves, skin intact or removed, your choice
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 handfuls mixed greens
2 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted in a 325F oven
Dressing:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 avocado; peeled, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Season duck liberally with salt and pepper. Combine next 4 ingredients in a plastic bag. Add duck breasts and shake bag to coat evenly. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Sear duck breasts on both sides until medium rare. Remove from pan and let stand for 5 minutes.
To prepare dressing, add first 5 ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. While motor is running, add oil slowly in a thin stream until dressing is smooth and oil is emulsified. Add avocado and tarragon and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the duck thinly. Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with dressing to coat. Use a little dressing at a time. You probably will not need all of the dressing. Place the lettuce on plates. Arrange sliced duck, tomato and onion over lettuce. Top with blue cheese crumbles and pecans.
Fruit and Avocado Salad with Honey Nut Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
1 avocado
3 cups cantaloupe balls
1 cup pineapple cubes
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces American cheese
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
lettuce
Arrange lettuce in bowl. Cut peeled avocado in strips. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine fruit. Add to bowl. Garnish with avocado and cheese strips. For dressing, mix the remaining ingredients. Serves 6.
Mexican Salad Bowl with Avocado Dressing
4 cups torn salad greens
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup ripe olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup coarsely crushed corn chips
Avocado Salad Dressing:
1 large ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Combine salad greens, tomatoes, green onion, olives and cheese in a large salad bowl. Toss lightly, and sprinkle with corn chips. Serve with Avocado Salad Dressing.
Avocado Salad Dressing: Combine all ingredients in container of electric blender; process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Yields about 1 1/2 cups.
Cucumber and Avocado Salad
1 English seedless cucumber
salt
1 chili pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced onion
sweet red pepper slices
6 cups salad greens
1 ripe avocado, sliced
fresh parsley
Peel and slice the cucumber paper thin. Season with salt, chili pepper and lime juice. Sprinkle with onion and red pepper slices. Arrange salad greens on 6 serving plates. Pile cucumber mixture in center of each plate. Add avocado slices and parsley. 6 servings.
Spinach with Apples, Avocado and Bacon
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 pound bacon slices, chopped
2 6 ounce bags baby spinach leaves
2 medium size red apples, halved, cored, thinly sliced
1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, cubed
Whisk oil, powdered sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, dry mustard, paprika and ground ginger in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute chopped bacon slices in heavy large skillet over medium high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer chopped bacon to paper towel and drain. Combine baby spinach leaves, apple slices, red onion, avocado and bacon in large bowl. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad among plates and serve. 6 to 8 servings.
Orange Avocado Chicken
6 chicken breast halves, skinned
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 cup orange juice, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried whole tarragon, crushed
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Brown chicken in butter; add orange rind, 1/2 cup orange juice, onion and seasonings. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 50 minutes or until tender. Remove to serving dish; keep warm. Combine remaining 1/2 cup juice and cornstarch, stirring until smooth; add to pan drippings. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Arrange orange and avocado slices around chicken; pour orange sauce over top before serving. 6 servings.
Shrimp and Avocado Salad
1 ounce cooked salad shrimp
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
salt to taste
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 avocados
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 heads bibb lettuce, rinsed and dried
1 teaspoon paprika
1 4 ounce jar pimentos
In a small bowl combine, shrimp, chives, salt, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and chili sauce. Gently mix together. Cut avocados in half and remove the pits. Mound shrimp salad into avocados and sprinkle with lemon juice. Place avocados on bibb lettuce leaves that have been dusted with paprika. Garnish with strips of pimento and serve. 4 servings.
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