Avocados are fruits, though they are quite different from their sweeter tree fruit relatives. Of all fruits, avocados are the highest in oil and protein, making them a great energy source. Avocados are native to areas of Central and South America and have been around for nearly 7,000 years according to archaeological evidence. Historian and writer Fernández de Oviedo was one of the first Europeans to try an avocado. He saw a similarity between the shape of avocados and pears; because of this, he ate his avocado with cheese. His instinct was right on target. Over time avocados became a popular addition to Mexican and South American cuisine, served alongside cheese in dishes ranging from guacamole to tacos to burritos to enchiladas. Today avocados are eaten in a variety of recipes and preparations, from savory to spicy to sweet. Here are a few tasty avocado recipes on my site:
Apricot Spinach Salad with Avocado Basil Dressing
Chickpea Avocado Salad with Lemon and Dill
Katsuji’s Smoky Chipotle Avocado Salsa
Citrus Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
My friend Gaby Dalkin has a terrific cookbook out called Absolutely Avocados, with tons of terrific avocado recipes and ideas. It’s worth checking out if you love avocado as much as I do.
Avocados are best when slightly soft, but they have a habit of ripening quickly. I like to buy my avocados when they’re still slightly firm so they don’t become overly ripe before I use them. If necessary, you can always speed up ripening by storing them in a paper bag along with a banana overnight. Be sure to add them to your lunch if you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up. In the mood to be adventurous? Try them for breakfast! Their buttery texture makes them a nutritionally powerful topping for toast. Mash them up and spread them onto toast like butter if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant. Add a little sprinkle of sea salt, and you’ve got a seriously tasty, healthy way to start the day!
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How to Slice an Avocado
Ingredients
- Avocado
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Spoon
- Fresh lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Before slicing open your avocado, use this quick trick to test for ripeness. Gently remove the stem and check the color of the avocado flesh beneath. A yellowish green is unripe, bright green is perfect and brown means your avocado is probably past its prime. It should yield to gentle pressure but not feel overly soft when squeezed.
- Start by inserting the blade of your knife into the avocado. Then, very carefully with the knife still in place, turn the avocado around the blade so that you make a circular cut all the way around.
- Use your hands to twist and separate the two halves of the avocado.
- Now you have 2 avocado halves. The pit will be left in one half. The pit can easily be removed by very carefully and gently inserting the point of your knife into the surface of the seed, then lifting it out. A gentle twisting motion sometimes helps.
- At this point, there are two ways you can go about slicing the avocado. The first method is my favorite. Turn the avocado halves flat side down against your cutting surface. Slice the halves in half again through the peel, so you have four quarters of avocado.
- Pull the peel gently off of each quarter; if the avocado is ripe the peel will release easily from the slices.
- Continue slicing or dicing the quarters depending on what you need.
- Alternatively, you can slice the avocado in the peel. This method is a bit faster, but won't produce the neatest slices. Slice through the avocado flesh while the avocado is still in the peel, without slicing through the peel.
- If you like, you can also cut the avocado into chunks by slicing vertically and then horizontally across.
- Remove the sliced or diced avocado by scooping out the flesh with a spoon.
- If you don't plan to eat the avocado immediately, have a lemon on hand to squeeze fresh lemon juice on the slices. This will help to keep them from browning.
Nutrition
If you can find Sharwell avocados they are far superior to Haas in every way.
MUST HAVE AVACADO NOW!!!
Thanks to this post I picked up some avocados to make with dinner. Yum!
yummy
I just cut in half like your photo. Take a teaspoon and mash within the half Avocado adding course black pepper and sea salt to taste. I eat it right out of the shell or use a cracker to dip out.
That’s a pretty avocado you have! I could live on them. I put them on just about everything except pizza!
Thank you!
Birmingham SeventySix -is there still a cherimoya orchard there?
I haven’t had one here, only in Peru! Love to know where I could buy some!
Sounds good to me.
I love avocado with grapefruit on toast!
one of my favorites avocado smashed on toast with blk pepper and lemon juice
daily…we had an avo and cherimoya orchard in Santa Barbara
i like to drizzle the oil from a can of Sardines onto Dry Rye Toast then top with thin slices of Avocado then lay a few Sardines on top and top with a sliced hot pickled Chile it makes an almost perfect open faced sandwich …
I created that Tori!!!
I love it on my hamburgers
You are such an artist! Oh my!
Love it in my Smoothies … Adds a great creaminess with out being bad for you !
When I add my avocado to a salad, I place the entire pip into the center of the salad. I have no idea how it works but it keeps the avocado from going brown for a few hours. Try it and see. It really works.
I love avocados no matter how it’s prepared 🙂
Me too Susan! 🙂
I add it to soap. 🙂