According to my son, there’s not a meal in the house if there isn’t an avocado in the fruit bowl. And he was delighted to discover a new variety, the AvoGrey®, twice the size of a Hass.
Gisborne’s David and Judy Grey have been developing their Greenskin avocado for several years and this season they have enough to supply our local market. This avo has a long shelf life, is easy to peel, has a firm flesh and doesn’t discolour in a way other varieties do.
Store these avocados at room temperature until they’re ripe. Just press the stem end lightly. If it gives, it’s ripe and ready to eat. Once ripe, store in the fridge for up to 10 days or longer.
Avocados are healthy with 50 per cent more potassium than bananas. Sodium and cholesterol-free, they have only five grams of fat per serving, most of it monounsaturated. Thirty grams of butter yields 836 kilojoules while 30 grams of avocado yields just 125 kilojoules. I know which one I'd rather have as a spread!
When avocados are cooked, the heat affects the chemistry of the fats causing an unpleasant off-flavour. Add avocados to hot foods at the last minute, away from the source of heat.
MISO ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH AVOCADO
Dressing: 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mirin
pinch salt
Salad: 1 tablespoon miso paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
250g (3 cups) cauliflorets
salt and pepper to taste
Topping: 100g round green beans, topped
1/4 large AvoGrey® avocado, sliced or diced
2 medium radishes, thinly sliced
1 lemon for squeezing, cut into wedges
Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and place aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a roasting dish with baking paper.
Combine the miso, olive oil, maple syrup and garlic in a large bowl. Add the cauliflorets and mix well with your hands. Spread evenly onto the roasting dish and season. Roast for 20-30 minutes until the cauliflorets are crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, boil the beans until crisp-tender then refresh in icy water. Pat dry when cold.
Place the roasted cauliflower mix onto a serving plate. Top with the beans, avocado, radishes and the dressing. Serve with the lemon wedges. Serves 2.
AVOCADO MOUSSE WITH SMOKED SALMON
I like to serve this as a starter on an antipasto platter with other seafoods — eg cooked prawns, marinated fish, smoked mussels — and salad leaves.
1 large AvoGrey® avocado
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons each: finely chopped parsley or coriander, plain yoghurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or horseradish cream
salt and pepper to taste
150g sliced smoked salmon
Halve and stone the avocado. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mash together with the lemon juice, parsley or coriander, yoghurt, mustard or horseradish, salt and pepper.
Pipe into 4 small glasses or dishes. Top with twists of salmon.
Great garnished with freshly ground black pepper and parsley or coriander. Serves 4 as a light starter (with crostini) or part of an antipasto platter.