• You've probably seen served a halved avocado with tuna stuffed in the avocados welcoming center. The problem is, too often the tuna is made with mayonnaise, killing the healthy aspect of the dish. Who needs the dreck that is mayo when you already have the creamy, unctuous healthy fat of the avocado? Instead, dress Albacore tuna with lemon juice, salt, pepper and a hint of garlic or chili flakes, plop in a halved avocado, drizzle a tiny bit of good olive oil, and mix each bite with the components. Or better yet, grill or bake a tuna steak rare, slice the meat and elevate a common dish to the elegant level. • Mash avocado with salt, pepper, lime juice and garlic and use in the place of mayo on sandwiches or in salad dressings. Tastes much better and much healthier. Why not turn an average lunch into something that will delight and intrigue relatives and co-workers. • Avocados play a part in the cuisines of many cultures, from the Caribbean to Asia. Their high (good) fat content makes them excellent additions to spicy dishes to calm the heat. As most know, if your mouth is burning, stick to high fat things like milk, rather than water, to calm the flames. I make a lot of Asian dishes and the Thai and Indian ones often rely on heat in their sophisticated balance of flavors. Particularly when cooking for guests with less tolerance for heat, I dice avocado and top dishes with it, both for added flavor and to let diners cool their palates. • Skip topping your tacos with guac and fold your favorite taco fixings into an avocado half. • Crab and avocado are wonderful natural partners. Skip the tuna filling and go with crab meat, lime juice, green onions and season to taste. • Add avocado to a simple hummus recipe, kick it up with cilantro for something healthy, fresh and surprising. • Even the simplest dish can be improved with avocado, from Mac and cheese to scrambled eggs – anything that benefits from creamy goodness.
Crispy Black Bean Cake with CA Avocado
OK, so back to avocado toast. You don't have to be a millennial to enjoy it and you certainly don't have to spend a fortune on it. Following is my favorite, simple, healthy, delicious version. The combination of avocado, Swiss cheese and tomato is terrific. • Mash one small avocado flesh with a little lime, salt, pepper, and a dash of pepper sauce or sprinkle of crushed red pepper. • Toast two slices of good whole-grain bread, the darker and nuttier the better. Skip the white bread or mundane commercial stuff. You want something that stands up to the topping and has real texture and flavor. I prefer Ezekiel sprouted grain bread. • Apply a thin slice of Swiss cheese to each slice of toast. • When toast has cooled a little, coat each piece of toast with your avocado mash. • Top avocado with tomato slices – the better the tomato, the better the dish. • Season the tomato with a little salt and pepper. That's it – as easy as can be, inexpensive and a healthy and tasty alternative to other savory breakfast, brunch or lunch options. Anyone can enjoy it, even if you don't live in your parents' basement!
"CALIFORNIA AVOCADO SEASON IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SEASONS! BECAUSE THE FRUIT IS AT ITS PEAK, LOCALLY GROWN AND PICKED NEARBY, I NEVER HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO GET GREAT TASTING AVOCADOS FOR MY MENU AND MY HOME." - CHEF MANZKE
24 WIREMAG.COM #26 2018
Power Hour Pick Me Up CA Avocado Smoothie
Author/writer Michael W. Sasser has written on food and dining in South Florida and abroad for hundreds of publications, ranging from Where Miami and the Sun-Sentinel Group to Frommer's, Fodor's, Time Out, Fresh Guides, Black Book NY, and more. Rafa Carvajal, publisher, editor in chief and writer of Wire Magazine, contributed to this story.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION
Charred CA Avocado Salad Pistachio Gremolata
Here are a few perfect ways to use avocado in your home cooking, besides guacamole and salads.