eG Cook-Off #81: The Avocado - Finding new popularity in the kitchen

[David Ross]

5 minutes ago, Dave the Cook said:

Nothing particularly new here, though our recipe for avocado crema differs a bit from @David Ross's. Fried fish tacos with avocado crema and jalapeno-ish slaw:

 

Dave that looks delicious and that crispy fish.  Ahh.

[Kerry Beal]

Years ago I discovered the Avocado Eggrolls at the Cheesecake Factory. I believe the recipe that I used to make my own was from one of the Copycat books by Todd Wilbur. Haven't made them in forever so no picture available.

 

Is about the only place I've used cilantro and liked it!

[FauxPas]

3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Years ago I discovered the Avocado Eggrolls at the Cheesecake Factory. I believe the recipe that I used to make my own was from one of the Copycat books by Todd Wilbur. Haven't made them in forever so no picture available.

 

Is about the only place I've used cilantro and liked it!

 

Did a Google image search because I was curious and it brings up at least one copycat recipe link for them. They look interesting! 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Avocado+Eggrolls+at+the+Cheesecake+Factory&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS768US768&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiV0uSuopzhAhXYs54KHUHgD8AQ_AUIDigB&biw=1169&bih=617#imgrc=_

 

[Kerry Beal]

They are really tasty - and the sauce is amazing.

 

I don’t see the sauce recipe there - 

 

Avocado Eggrolls 

Recipe By: 
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients: 

- EGGROLLS 
- 4 eggroll wrappers 
- 1 avocado 
- 1 tablespoon red onion 
- 3 sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed 
- 1 teaspoon cilantro 
- Sauce 
- 1/4 cup cashews 
- 2/3 cup cilantro 
- 2 cloves garlic 
- 2 green onions 
- 1 tablespoon sugar 
- 1 teaspoon black pepper 
- 1 teaspoon cumin 
- 4 teaspoons white vinegar 
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 
- pinch saffron 
- 1/2 cup honey 
- 1 teaspoon tamarind pulp 
- 1/4 cup olive oil 

Directions: 

1. Sauce - process all but liquids in food processor.  Heat honey, vinagers and tamarind to dissolve the pulp.  Add to processor and then add oil and process.

2. Eggrolls - mix together chopped avocado, onion, sundried tomatoes and cilantro.  Place egg roll wrapper diagonally in front of you, wet edge with beaten egg with a little water.  Put avocado mixture in one corner, and fold over edge.  Fold over again, then flip in sides, then roll up.  Fry in a few inches of oil, until brown on both sides.  

3. Cut diagonally and serve with sauce.  

4. Description:

5.  "Cheesecake Factory"

6. Yield:

7.  "4 rolls" 
 

 

[Smithy]

Last night's dinner was a test of a new (to me) recipe: Skillet-Roasted Salmon with Avocado, Pomegranate, and Bulgur, from the April/May 2019 issue of Fine Cooking. I had to take a few liberties with it, since I had no pomegranate and went lightly on the cilantro out of deference to my partner - so our dinner was much less colorful than it is on the cover of the magazine.

 

 

(It looks much, much better on the cover of their magazine, of course. Garnish and better plating would have helped this photo!) 

 

So why am I writing about it here? Because of the unexpected way the avocado augmented the dish. The salmon, with its seasoning of lime, cilantro and aromatics, was excellent. The bulgur, with the same seasonings (and ginger, garlic, scallions, all sweated before the broth came in) was excellent. Taken together, they were great. But when a bite of buttery, silky avocado was taken at the same time, the dish gained new depth and complexity: something was added that I hadn't even known was missing! 

 

This recipe is a keeper, when I can get good avocado. Even my husband, who flinches at the idea of salmon or cilantro, liked it and wants me to make it again. 

 

Make this dish. Enjoy it. Make it look better than I did, and enjoy that avocado!

 

 

[kayb]

A dilemma regarding avocados:

 

Invariably, when I buy more avocados than I want to use right then, I leave them on the counter so I'll remember I have them, and use them before they go bad. I generally buy a combo of soft ones and hard ones for this very reason.

 

And they sit on the counter. And every day, I look at them and think, "I ought to do something with those avocados today." And they sit on the counter.

 

And eventually they go bad and I throw them away.

 

I can only conclude I just don't really like avocados as much as I think I like avocados.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

7 minutes ago, kayb said:

A dilemma regarding avocados:

 

Invariably, when I buy more avocados than I want to use right then, I leave them on the counter so I'll remember I have them, and use them before they go bad. I generally buy a combo of soft ones and hard ones for this very reason.

 

And they sit on the counter. And every day, I look at them and think, "I ought to do something with those avocados today." And they sit on the counter.

 

And eventually they go bad and I throw them away.

 

I can only conclude I just don't really like avocados as much as I think I like avocados.

 

 

I store mine in bags buried in the bedroom.  That way I avoid the guilt.

 

[heidih]

I never buy more than 2 at a time unless entertaining. I only buy hard ones. If life intervenes I mash and freeze. 

Edited March 25, 2019 by heidih (log)

[Shelby]

My halves are still in the freezer 🙄

[Kerry Beal]

I buy a couple of the 5 avocado bags at Costco - once they are ripe - into the fridge. Keeps them for a lot of days.

 

 

[Dave the Cook]

This is probably not news to anyone here, but dealing with excess avocado (I know, I know, what's that?) is a common topic in our cooking classes. The best way we've found for keeping unused halves from browning is to brush a little citrus juice on the cut edge, vacuum seal them with a Food Saver, then stick them in the fridge, where they'll be good for at least several days. (It's more effective if you leave the seed in and seal that side.)

[BeeZee]

3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

... once they are ripe - into the fridge. Keeps them for a lot of days.

 

 

I have eaten an avocado that was in the fridge for 2 weeks and it was fine. If it wasn’t bruised/damaged, it will keep really well in the veg drawer.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

10 hours ago, BeeZee said:

I have eaten an avocado that was in the fridge for 2 weeks and it was fine. If it wasn’t bruised/damaged, it will keep really well in the veg drawer.

 

I agree BeeZee, as a person who is disabled and has to pay a lot of money for grocery deliveries. So I tend to hoard ingredients. Avo's do keep in the fridge for weeks and will ripen from green and hard much slower than they do on the windowsill when you're trying to speed up the ripening process.

[sartoric]

Pasta bake with small shells, a little sautéed onion and garlic, half a can of cherry tomatoes and a dozen or so halved fresh cherry tomatoes. This was all mixed together, dumped in the dish, enhanced with chunks of avocado, blobs of ricotta and torn basil, then finished with grated cheddar and parmesan.

 

[TdeV]

From a person I used to work with, I learned about adding Worcestershire Sauce to the hole from the pit. Don't peel the avocado and eat with a spoon. Quite tasty! (I guess this is a riff on fish sauce?)

 

What about avocados which have started to turn, i.e. they have brown/grey streaks through the flesh. Do you eat them? And would you serve them to company?

Edited April 15, 2019 by TdeV
Clarity (log)

[kayb]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

From a person I used to work with, I learned about adding Worcestershire Sauce to the hole from the pit. Don't peel the avocado and eat with a spoon. Quite tasty! (I guess this is a riff on fish sauce?)

 

What about avocados which have started to turn, i.e. they have brown/grey streaks through the flesh. Do you eat them? And would you serve them to company?

 

If the streaks arent' too prominent, I'll eat 'em. I'll serve them to company if they're smushed up and the streaks don't show.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

What about avocados which have started to turn, i.e. they have brown/grey streaks through the flesh. Do you eat them? And would you serve them to company?

 

 

I'll taste a bit andthen decide. Use in a mashed prep if taste is still ok. With something for color like tomato. 

[Shelby]

Here in Kansas, they are so expensive that I'll scrape the mold off, throw in some green food coloring and call it guacamole.

[Shelby]

Just a note:  I made sushi last night and used one of the frozen halves of avocado that have been in my freezer for like a month now.

 

A tiny bit more mushy than fresh, but still very much able to cut into slices.

 

[AAQuesada]

On 3/4/2019 at 1:48 PM, David Ross said:

My guacamole isn't really special but I do use a couple of different techniques to add flavor.  I started a few years back with a guacamole recipe out of Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez.  I add garlic to my recipe and char both the garlic and onion in a hot cast iron skillet, no oil.  And the Chef gave me an idea I had never considered-serving the guacamole with chicarrones.  We have a very good local Mexican supermarket and cafe and they make the chicarrones fresh each day from the hogs they butcher at the restaurant to use in their other dishes.

 

2-3 cloves garlic, roasted dry, skin-on then peeled and smashed

1/2 roasted onion, finely diced

1/2 cup or so of fresh cilantro

1/2-1 small jalapeno, minced

2 large Haas avocados, coarsely mashed

1 roma tomato, seeded and diced

2 tsp. chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Crumble some of the chicarrones to garnish the guacamole and serve with

the large strips of chicarrones

 

This reminds me of a guacamole recipe in one of my mom's old cookbooks. How about the chicharrones in the guac?!  Pretty great while it lasts. 

Ps. If you ever need a book with Tinga, polverones and sauce Bigerade in Spanish this is the book for you. 

[David Ross]

On 4/16/2019 at 12:57 PM, AAQuesada said:

 

This reminds me of a guacamole recipe in one of my mom's old cookbooks. How about the chicharrones in the guac?!  Pretty great while it lasts. 

Ps. If you ever need a book with Tinga, polverones and sauce Bigerade in Spanish this is the book for you. 

Thanks I'll check it out

 

[TdeV]

Hi @Shelby. Re: frozen avocado. Did you peel it before you froze it?

[Shelby]

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

Hi @Shelby. Re: frozen avocado. Did you peel it before you froze it?

Yes.  Peeled and wrapped in saran wrap.  I honestly was going to try @Smithy's deep fried avocados but life got in the way.

[TdeV]

@Shelby. did you treat the surface in any way? (E.g. OO, vinegar, lemon)

[Shelby]

1 minute ago, TdeV said:

@Shelby. did you treat the surface in any way? (E.g. OO, vinegar, lemon)

Nope.  Just a naked avocado