guacamole

[sudsmaster]

I have two mature avocado trees here in my back yard. One is a Haas, the other a Bacon. I planted these about 20 years ago and have been enjoying their produce ever since.

Periodically I "top" one of the trees. It helps to keep their height down and encourages them to spread horizontally. I understand it's standard practice in commercial avocado groves, where they top every other tree periodically. I went a bit too far on the Bacon last year, but it will recover. The Haas is currently loaded with fruit; it will start yielding a bountiful crop around December.

Oh, and for the best pre-made salsa, look for the Herdez in the shops. Might have to go to a Mexican grocery for it. But it beats the Costco store brand hands down, as far as spicy flavor goes.

 

[mikael3]

The avocados we get in Atlanta are largely or entirely from Mexico, if memory serves me right.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen an avocado from California, but I could be mistaken.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Another alternative

Not how I do it. Rachel Ray uses a cooling rack, places it over a bowl, and smashes the Avocado through the rack.

I split my Avocados in half, remove the pit then take my paring knife and do cross hatch cuts through the flesh all the way to the peel. Then I take a teaspoon and scrape it out into a bowl. I then cut Onion, and Roma tomatoes in the same diced configuration, mix with one smashed or minced garlic clove, salt and pepper to taste, then--I learned this from Rachel. White vinegar, just a tablespoon or so.

 

[maytagbear]

Just a technique suggestion..........

I do not currently cook, here at the retirement home, but when I did, I would prepare everything else first, onions, tomato(es) herbs...and THEN prepare the avocadoes.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[ea56]

Personally I think that avocados are very easy to peel.  I just cut them in half, pull the halves apart and then cut each half in half making 4 quarters.  Then I simply take a paring knife and carefully pull the skin off each quarter.  This is if I’m going to use the entire avocado that day.

 

If I’m only using 1/2 of the avocado I leave the peel on the half I’m saving and also leave the pit in it and wrap it with plastic wrap.  I’ve been doing this for 50 years and its easy peasy, especially with the Haas variety.  This is also the way my Mom did it so thats how I learned to peel avocados.

 

The thinner skinned avocados can sometimes take a little more care to remove the skin by pulling it off, but it can be done.  Pulling the skin off results in no waste.  I’ve seen people on TV scooping the flesh out with a spoon and leaving lots of good avocado behind, this is no bueno.

 

Vaste not, vant not!

 

Eddie

 

[sudsmaster]

When one of my avocados, Hass or Bacon, is perfectly ripe, usually I can cut it in half, remove the pit, cut the halves into quarters, and then just peel the skin off. Then slice or smash as desired. Often I'll cut it up and add the pieces to a salad.

 

[vacbear58]

Speaking of bacon ....

Guacamole or thinly sliced avocado is REALLY good in a sandwich with some crispy fried or broiled bacon

 

[ea56]

Avocado on a Sandwich!

Yes siree Alistair!  

 

Whip yourself up a BLAT, a Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado on toast with mayonnaise.  Just about my most favorite of all sandwiches, and I love just about any kind of sandwich.  About once a month I make these for our dinner on a weekend night as a special treat.

 

I personally don’t care for guacamole on a sandwich though, too messy to eat.  I prefer slices of avocado that are lightly mashed on to the bread slice with a fork.  Yum!

 

Hint, for extra crispy bacon, with perfectly flat slices, bake it in the oven at 400F on a baking sheet for about 10-15 mins.  No grease splattered all over the stove and no bacon odor lingering on the house.

 

Eddie

 

[iheartmaytag]

Since I am not a Mayo person (HATE IT)

I use sliced Avocado on sandwiches, it gives you that creaminess without the rancid oil flavor.

I used to make just a plain Avocado salad, chunked Avocado, salt pepper and Lemon juice, or white vinegar. This was before they were so dern expensive. Back when I could get them five for a dollar, we had them all the time. Now that we are seeing $1.00 to $1.49 each. They are rather precious so only have on special occasions that I know none will go to waste.

 

[rp2813]

Peeiing

I almost always cut the avocado in half, slice across lengthwise and again widthwise to make cubes, then scoop out with a spoon.  I can't remember the last time I found it necessary to actually peel an avocado, but if I'm making slices for appearances' sake, I use a combo slicer/peeler like this one:

 

 

[ea56]

Too much waste for me Ralph.  

 

Look at all the avocado left in the shell.  But to each his own.  Also, just another gadget to clutter my kitchen drawers.  Peeling an avocado by pulling off the skin is as easy or easier than peeling a cooled boiled potato.

 

Eddie

 

[rp2813]

Yeah, that's not a good example.  Not that much waste on those occasions when I use mine, but when you're goal is appearances, some waste is usually part of the deal.

 

[circlew]

I don't care for avocados much at all, and therefore rarely have guacamole. My sister likes it however, and always makes a big pan of it when they have one of their wing-dings.

 

McAlister's Deli has a new sandwich - Chicken Avocado BLT. It has grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, tomato, spring mix, with avocado ranch dressing on toasted country white bread.

 

I saw the avocado ranch dressing when I was there a couple days ago, and it didn't look appetizing. A few weeks ago I bought a packaged salad at Kroger that had that dressing, and I wasn't too fond of it.

 

[mattl]

Since we are talking avocados one recipe I make occasionally is mac and avocado.  While the macaroni is cooking I mash an avocado or two up using a fork with a bit of salt and pepper. In a small pan I put a good amount of olive oil and 3 or 4 cloves of garlic sliced and simmer till golden.  Remove the garlic and toss in a handful of pine nuts and toast those. drain the pasta and while hot mix in the avocado, garlic, pine nuts and oil.  Top with a shredded chicken breast if desired, and a squeeze of fresh lemmon.

 

Some may be turned off by warm avocados but I like this better than mac and cheese.

 

[oldtech]

We have an avocado tree in our front yard (abt.30 ft. tall), in Hawaii.
It drops avocados on the porch tin roof, sounds like a bomb went off!

It produces Haas which are easily twice as big as mainland ones.
I'm not a real fan of guac, but the neighbors forage for them regularly.

 

[mikael3]

Speaking of other avocado preparations, “avocado toast” is particularly tasty.  It’s one of those things that is somehow much more than the sum of its parts.  There’s always a bit of salt in the mix and often a tiny squeeze of lime juice, and some people grind a little pepper on top.  But there’s nothing more to it.

 

It made the rounds a few years ago on trendy menus.  Since it is literally mashed avocado on toast, I would never pay for it at a restaurant, but I suppose some people in this world would be baffled by the recipe and have no choice but to buy it from a chef!

 

[rp2813]

John, if the millennials who seem to have a thing for avocado toast knew how to do anything that didn't involve a cell phone, maybe they wouldn't be paying for it.  Avocado toast has been around for many years and is easy to make at home, but it became a favorite of the helpless youngsters a few years ago and has got to be about as wildly profitable as soft drinks are for the restaurant business.

 

[sudsmaster]

Might just be my opinion, but avocados are food of the gods.

 

[gizmo]

but avocados are food of the gods.

I don't believe in god but I love to eat avocadoes. 

I use avocado instead of butter or cheese in sandwiches most days.

 

I believe the current craze for avocado on toast originated in Australia (so I have read.)

It is on the menu for breakfast at pretty much any restaurant here, we call it "Smashed Avo." Smashed Avo is always on toast. Often served with some goats or sheeps feta cheese mashed in with it, and a poached egg  on top. (I hate poached egg.)