Avocado Leaf

[liuzhou]

I'm growing a couple of avocado trees in pots on my balcony. They love the sun we are having now. I have no expectation of them ever fruiting - I just grow them for fun. However, they tend to reach for the sky and, to try to get them to grow more bushy, I have to prune them regularly.

 

Till now, I have been throwing the prunings away, but realise that avocado leaves are edible. I just have no experience of using (or eating) them.

So you use them? How?

Any and all suggestions welcome. Thanks.

[IowaDee]

I was at my library's annual book sale yesterday and snagged a copy of The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diane Kennedy for a song.  I checked the index and found avocado leaves listed.  She says the leaves, fresh or dried are used in dishes in parts of Oaxaca and Morelos and tamales,, seasoning 

barbecued meats and for adding to stews, She says to toast the dried leaves over an open flame before adding to your dish.  Don't know if this will help.

I have lots and lots of Mexican cookbooks if you would like me to check them.

[liuzhou]

 

I have lots and lots of Mexican cookbooks if you would like me to check them.

 

Thank you. Anything you can tell me will be great. I haven't found much on internet other than it is used in Mexican cuisine.

 

Mexican food is one of the many empty holes in my knowledge. We never had it when I lived in the UK until about 30 years ago and it certainly doesn't exist here in China, 

Edited July 13, 2014 by liuzhou (log)

[IowaDee]

I would rather eat Mexican food than any other type!  Again from another Kennedy book, From my Mexican Kitchen-Techniques and Ingredients,

she suggests toasting, grinding and adding to black beans.  I'll bet Rancho Gordo could chime in here with ideas as well.

 

In Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless, he suggests using the leaves to line a steamer and cooking chicken thighs in it. Of course, being a Mexican recipe, the chicken is first rubbed with a paste of typical ingredients.  The technique, however, seems like it may be something you could adapt but using local spices.

 

Another Bayless book,Mexican Kitchen cautions that only the Mexican strain has the truly intense flavor when the leaves are toasted.  They are best left untoasted when used as a bed for marinated meats in barbeque smoking.  

 

Now I'm curious.  I shall pick up a package of dried leaves on my next visit to a Mexican marker and play around with them.

[heidih]

In her most recent book Oaxaca al Gusto, Diana Kennedy cautions that there have been reports of toxicity. She cautions to use the native or criollo avocado leaves only as they have not been reported as toxic and are the fragrant ones (Persea drymifolia) versus the Guatemalan Persea americana. Then there are many hybrids. I don't know the genetic background of my trees and choose not to experiment. 

[IowaDee]

I did read that but have also read other articles that claim that huge amounts must be ingested before humans suffer any ill effects.  Since my chances to acquire fresh leaves are between slim and none, I'll just stick to the packaged ones at my local Mexican market.  

[basquecook]

i know a woman who puts dried avocado leaves in her black beans.. makes all the difference, adds this buzzy, semi mentholated licorice like sensation through the beans. 

Edited August 20, 2014 by basquecook (log)

[patrickamory]

basquecook do you know a source for avocado leaves here in NYC?