People notice how much we eat them. Also, they notice that I make a hell of a guac. I get lots of questions about this gorgeous green fruit and about making guacamole, so I thought I'd share some tips about avocado--from sitting on display to getting mashed with a fork!
AT THE STORE: When choosing an avocado, don't pick the pretty green ones unless you won't be using them for a while. They aren't ripe yet. (You can ripen an avocado faster by setting it in a bowl with a ripe banana.) Also, don't pick the smooth-skinned blackish fruits either. These are past their prime, and are mushy and discolored inside. (I am shocked that grocery stores continue to sell these, fruit flies and all!) Look for avocados that are just starting to change color (from emerald to dark green), and that are firm but not brick-like. Here's a trick:
See that little nubbin of a stem? Flick it off.
See how this one is starting to brown beneath the stem? It's probably got some bruising and discoloration inside. It's just starting to get overripe. However, the skin still has the bumpy green ridges, so while I would NOT buy this in a store, I would cut it up for use at home. (I've had it about 6 days.)
A perfect avocado will retain a greenish tint beneath that stem. I am the weirdo lady picking off stems in the produce aisle. So what?
STORAGE: I keep avocados in my fruit bowl. If they are with other ripe fruits or veggies, they tend to ripen faster. If you want them to remain a little unripened a while longer, refrigerate them.
PREP: Once you cut them open, they act like apples and oxidize. This isn't harmful or even untasty, but sort of unattractive, so guac isn't a dish to make ahead. If you're cutting up an avocado as a burger topping, chop immediately before serving. And if using on a salad, serve on individual portions and don't save in the fridge; the slices will brown and you won't want to revisit the salad.
Ways to make guacamole or avocado slices last longer include squeezing lemon juice on top, coating with olive oil, or leaving the pit in with the fruit. Also, seal a bowl of guac with TIGHT plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately; serve as needed so a huge gnarly-looking bowl isn't left out on the counter. I recently made a batch of guacamole for my friend Brittany's bridal shower, and I brought it to her in a cooler, with the pit still in the bowl, liberal amounts of lemon juice mixed into the dip and a spare lemon thrown in the cooler for "touch-ups" (SO high-maintenance!), olive oil to seal the surface, and a tight spread of Saran wrap.
USES: Avocado makes great baby food, and can be mashed instead of pureed (so you don't have to wash your Baby Bullet another. frickin. time. It also creates a luscious ice-cream-like dessert when processed with a ripe banana and frozen. You can even make mousse with it! It is excellent on top of a black bean burger, or thrown into a Southwest salad. I've even tried it broiled with Parmesan and hot sauce.
But obviously, the best use for avocado is guacamole! I'm not against the store-bought kind, but once you surpass the brief learning curve of guac-making, it's SUPER easy, and cheap, to do yourself. Here's what I do: slice an avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh onto a cutting board. I mash it with a fork and throw in some garlic, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon or lime (or both). If I'm feeling ambitious, I may throw in chopped tomatoes or cilantro or red onion. It takes maybe two minutes and is unfailingly a hit.
(Yeah, and forgive my scary chipping mod-pink nail polish in the photos above. I have better things to do than remove my nail lacquer. Like blogging about an avocado.)
Lindsey.
No comments:
Post a Comment