Any time is avocado time, but sunny summer days especially. Here are two really easy avocado side dishes. The first you may not have thought of. The second you likely know well, maybe even dream of.
1. Avocado half with oil and vinegar
A side salad, of a sort. Elegant and delicious. So even though your observant guest will know you didn’t do much, it looks impressive. The one pictured here is just in a plain bowl with an ordinary spoon. Imagine how pretty it is in a glass bowl with a small fancy spoon.
- Cut an avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit
- Shake a bit of salt, pepper and lemon juice on surface
- Fill the cavity with oil and vinegar dressing
2. Guacamole
- 1-2 very ripe avocados, mashed finely with a fork
- 1-2 tbsp finely chopped onion or scallion
- 1/2 finely chopped tomato
- (2-3 tbsp finely chopped green pepper – optional)
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice (more or less, to taste)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (best) or 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- (dab of sour cream, plain yoghurt or mayonnaise – optional)
Mix all ingredients together, put in bowl, garnish with paprika and/or chopped parsley. Cover with Saran wrap to prevent avocado browning.* Chill, adjust oil amounts, lemon juice, salt and pepper for taste.Serve with tortilla chips, crispy pita bread or crispy crackers. Also good as a taco topping, or on almost anything. It’s avocado time, after all.
From The Joy of Cooking, adapted a bit by me.
* Thanks to this photo, by Popo le Chien on Wikimedia Commons, I learned that putting the pit on top of your guacamole keeps it from browning.
(You can grow your own avocado tree too. Suspend the pit over a glass of water with toothpicks, or try the pot system available on Amazon.)
