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 An Avocado Fiesta
This Cinco de Mayo, celebrate the rich, nutty flavor of avocados with
Mary Sue and Susan’s unique, avocado-inspired recipes. With everything
from an avocado ceviche enhanced with South American aji amarillo chiles
and a touch of fresh ginger to a simple sliced avocado topped with an
enticing Argentinean chimichurri, these avocado recipes are sure to be
the stars of any Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
How to Choose
Because avocados do not ripen until after they are picked, it is best to
buy them when they are still uniformly hard then take them home to ripen
at room temperature for several days. If you’re in a hurry, avocados
will ripen more quickly when placed in a paper bag with an apple. When
ripe, avocados will yield to gentle palm pressure, but avoid pressing an
avocado with only your finger as it tends to bruise the flesh. When it
comes to choosing a particular variety of avocado, Mary Sue and Susan’s
favorite is Hass. Available year-round, Hass avocados are easily
recognized by their dark, pebbly skin and are known for their rich
flavor and creamy texture.
Time to Eat
 When prepping an avocado for a dish, cut it lengthwise all the way
around then separate the halves by gently twisting them in opposite
directions. To remove the pit, place the avocado half on a flat surface,
whack the pit with the blade of a knife, and twist the knife, lifting
out the pit with the blade. Avocados begin to turn brown after being
exposed to oxygen so if you don’t plan on serving them immediately,
sprinkle cut avocados with lemon or lime juice to slow down the
discoloration process. As a bonus, the acid in citrus juice not only
helps keep avocados from browning, it also enhances the flavor of this
rich fruit.
Fun Facts
- Cinco de Mayo is one of the biggest consumption days of the year
for Hass avocados. Nearly 40 million pounds of Hass avocados will be
eaten during this year's Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
- In some areas, the avocado (which is a fruit, not a vegetable)
is known as an alligator pear because of its dark, pebbly skin.
- Indonesians combine avocados with milk, coffee, and rum for a
cold cocktail and Filipinos enjoy avocados as dessert drink,
pureeing them with sugar and milk.
- Avocados are high in fiber and are a good source of Vitamins E,
C, and B-6, as well as folic acid, thiamine, and riboflavin.
- Although bananas are often thought of as a great source of
potassium, avocados actually have 60% more potassium, ounce for
ounce.
- Avocados are packed with heart healthy monounsaturated fat,
shown in some studies to help reduce cholesterol.
Aji Amarillo Avocado Tostada
Potato Rajas and Avocado Tacos
Avocado Citrus Salsa
Avocado with Minted Chimichurri
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