2 fresh avocado summer "eats"
| July 19, 2010 | Posted by ameliaps under fast, lunch, quick, raw, summer, vegetables, vegetarian |
During the hot summer months I usually don’t like to eat a big lunch…just something cold, usually with vegetables and herbs, and generally raw, uncooked.
Avocados are one of my favorite vegetables (well, technically it’s a fruit, like my other favorite lunch “companion”: the tomato) to add creaminess and lusciousness to my lunches. They are full of good fats, potassium and other nice things 
Here are two easy and quick summer lunches. The wrap packs nicely for a pic-nic and the salad makes a great accompaniment to a grilled fish, if you want to make it a more complete meal.
The salad is easy to make but makes a real splash, because of the way it’s served…stacked, towering, with the use of a simple measuring cup, packed and then turned upside down (or you can use a “ring-mold”…if you own one!!! btw, one easy way to make one yourself is to remove the bottom and top of an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce with a can opener). There’s two tricks to this: making very uniform and small dice and using fresh, high quality ingredients.
For the olive oil, you might want to try some Australian extra virgin, maybe a light and delicate one (incidentally, I wanted to let you know that I won a package of Cobram estate Aussie oils: yeah!!! thank you Carolyn > check out her amazing “Food Gal” blog here)
Towering avocado-tomato-pepper salad with basil
Serves 2
2 California Avocados, diced small
2 Vine-ripened tomatoes, diced small
1 bunch fresh basil, washed, dried, and cut in chiffonade (rolled like a cigar and cut into strips) > reserve a few small leaves to decorate
A few roasted bell peppers, diced small
1-2 Tbsp (depending on taste) good extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly group pepper
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 red onion, diced small
Mix all ingredients together, gently into a glass or ceramic bowl and let sit in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, so flavors marry.
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pack some of the salad. Invert the cup on the plate with a quick movement and re-adjust the composition if needed. Top with a few of the reserved small basil leaves.
Avocado-Manchego-pepper wrap with cilantro
Serves 2
2 California Avocados, sliced
2 Large flour tortillas or large sandwich rolls
A few strip of roasted sweet peppers
A few slices Manchego cheese
1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed and dried
Arugula or baby spinach, as needed
A few drops Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional: a few slices red onion, thinly sliced
Optional: a couple of sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), cut in strips
Optional: a few drops of Tabasco or other hot spicy sauce
Layer main ingredients (avocado slices, bell pepper strips, Manchego cheese slices, cilantro, and arugula plus your optional ingredients) on each tortilla, right in the middle and season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Add Tabasco…some like it hot!!! Roll the Tortilla and slice diagonally in half. Pin it with a tooth-pick. If you wish, you can decorate the top with a reserved square of avocado, a thin strip of roasted bell pepper, and a leaf of cilantro.
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Wow its really beautiful.
Thank YOU for such an inspired entry for my contest. You will love the Cobram Estate extra virgin olive oils. Enjoy!
I absolutely heart both dishes, but towering salad is just wow!!!
My lunch today included a nice ripe avocado. It was delicious, but not nearly as pretty as your two recipes.
I have loved EVERYTHING you have put out over the last month- clearly an prolific summer! The avocado tower? WOW. Avocados, tomatoes, and cucumbers are my favorite summer breakfast foods, but now you have given me beautiful inspiration for lunch and dinner.
I love this post – I tend to always buy the avocados only to let them go bad due to lack of ideas. Guess what I'm picking up next time I'm at the store? LOL. I bet the salad would still taste great without it.
Thank you all!
Liz: yes, the beauty of this salad is that you can make it with anything that's in season. I imagine you could substitute avocado for cucumbers…like Dana hinted.