Smooth Operator

By Natalie FindlayI once wrote that avocados were the cashmere sweater of foods. Luxurious, smooth, hard-to-find and expensive. Well, you can find avocados in every grocery store now, their taste still feels luxurious, and they are still expensive - but worth it as long as you get to enjoy every last morsel of that golden, creamy flesh.

But how do you get the most out of your avocado?

First is to pick your avocados at the stage that suits your needs. Most often they arrive hard and underripe at the grocer. You can buy them at this stage and set them on your counter and wait for them to ripen in three to five days.

“Just about ripe” avocados will feel softer in your hand. These you want to buy if you want to enjoy it in a day or two.

“Just ripe” avocados will yield to gentle pressure but not leave an indent. Now it’s ready to eat.

Inevitably, you will find yourself with an overripe avocado or two. At this point you can use it for your smoothie - don’t let that beauty go to waste. If you can’t use it right away, then cut it up and freeze it to enjoy as part of your favourite smoothie blend or as a base for “nice cream”.

Want to hasten the ripening process? Place your avocado in a paper bag with a banana and seal it. It should ripen in a day or two. If you want to slow the over ripening, as soon as the avocado has ripened, place it in the refrigerator and that should slow it down slightly so you can get an extra day or two at peak ripening.

How do you keep your cut avocado from browning too quickly?

Firstly, browning is a natural process resulting from a chemical reaction called oxidation. There is no harm in eating the browned avocado. It’s just not as pretty. Once an avocado has been cut, polyphenol compounds are exposed to oxygen and in turn convert to melanin which is a brown pigment. This is why just the exposed part of the avocado turns brown while the underneath is still yellow.

There are two main ways to minimize the browning process.

- Add acid: add lemon or lime juice to the exposed surface of the avocado.

- Minimize the exposure of the avocado to oxygen: the easiest way to do this is to cover the avocado with plastic wrap by pressing it completely firm onto the surface of the avocado.

Avocados have a subtle flavour and can always handle a touch of salt. However, they really shine when it comes to their creamy texture. Whenever you are looking for something smooth and creamy to balance out your meal, think avocado.

Greek-Style Stuffed Avocado

Fills 2 avocados

1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

8 olives, halved

1½ tsp (7 mL) olive oil

5 leaves basil, finely sliced

2 Tbs feta, finely crumbled

1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice, plus extra for coating avocado

To taste sea salt

2 avocados

Garnish lemon zest

1. In a medium bowl, add the quinoa, tomatoes, olives, olive oil, basil, feta, and lemon juice. Gently stir to mix all ingredients together.

2. Season with salt if needed.

3. Cut two avocados in half and coat with lemon juice. Stuff each avocado with the mixture. Add lemon zest to garnish.

Note: make sure to serve with more of the quinoa mixture on the side to refill the avocado.

Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Salad

Avocado Salad

Serves 4

450 g shrimp

2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil

¾ tsp paprika

¾ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp cayenne powder

8 cups arugula (or other lettuce blend as you desire)

150 g mango, cubed

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

½ sweet pepper, diced

¼ cup (60 mL) lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbs (15 mL) lime juice

1½ tsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard

1 tsp (5 mL) honey

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch sea salt

¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil

2 Tbs parsley, finely chopped

1½ avocados, sliced

1. In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the shrimp, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and cayenne powder.

2. Cook approximately 2 minutes each side. Swirl around the shrimps to make sure they are coated in the spices. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, add the arugula, mango, red onion, and sweet pepper.

4. In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and zest, lime juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic and sea salt, and whisk to combine.

5. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust to desired taste and add the parsley.

6. Add the shrimp and avocado to the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Lightly drizzle over some dressing and gently stir.

Matcha Avocado Chia Pudding with Strawberries

Makes 5 snack size servings

½ avocado

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp matcha

1 Tbs (15 mL) honey

4 Tbs chia seeds

10 strawberries, stem removed

½ Tbs sugar

½ lime, zest and juice

6 leaves mint

1. In a blender, add avocado, coconut milk, matcha and honey and blend till smooth. Pour into a glass container and add the chia seeds.

2. Stir immediately and every 30 seconds or so to keep the chia seeds from sticking together in a lump. You want the seeds to disperse among the liquid. Keep doing this for about 5 minutes. Place in the fridge to chill.

3. Dice strawberries and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries and leave to macerate.

4. Once you are ready to enjoy, add the lime juice and thinly sliced mint leaves into the strawberries.

5. Dish out the pudding and top with the strawberry mixture.