AVOCADO
THE AVOCADO is a one-of-a-kind fruit. Instead of ripening on the tree like most fruits, it ripens about a week or two after it’s picked—like Bartlett pears. Instead of sweetening up like most fruits as it ripens, it fattens up, filling itself with precious avocado oil.
NUTRITION
While avocados have a high fat content, it’s good-for-you fat: Avocado oil has a greater percentage of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (primarily oleic acid) than olive oil and, for cooking, a higher smoking point (490 degrees Fahrenheit) than olive oil.
Beyond the fat, avocados are nutritional champions. In one study, subjects were given a half to one and a half avocados per day. Total blood cholesterol began to fall in one week. Body weight didn’t increase. Although they can contain up to 30 percent fat, they average only 136 to 150 calories per half an avocado. They are good sources of vitamins, especially A, the B vitamins, C, and E. They’re 1.5 times higher in potassium than bananas, and—unusual in a fruit—they have 2.4 grams of protein per 100 grams of flesh, and that is a complete protein with all the essential amino acids present. They’re packed with soluble fiber—four and a half times more than apples! They’re also rich in enzymes, especially lipase that reduces cardiovascular no-nos like blood fats and triglycerides to benign fatty acids and glycerol.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Different varieties of avocado alternate seasons, so avocados are available year round. Most avocados are still hard when offered for sale, and they will ripen quite easily on your kitchen counter. To determine ripeness, gently press on the stem end or gently squeeze the whole avocado. If there’s any give, they’re ripe. Avoid avocados with torn skin.
STORAGE AND REPARATION
Cut the avocado in half, whack the pit lightly with the edge of a knife and twist to loosen it. The pit will come out on the knife edge. If the avocado is properly ripe, you can peel off the skin by hand, or scoop out the flesh.
If you’re only using half of the avocado, spritz the cut side of the remaining piece with citrus juice and wrap as air-tight as possible with plastic wrap; otherwise the surface will discolor (not bad, just ugly).
Uses The buttery texture and mild flavor of Hass and Fuerte avocados gives the cook opportunity to work the fruit into all kinds of dishes, contrasting it with sweet, spicy, sour, salty, and even savory flavors. Tropical and semitropical fruits such as citrus, pineapple, guava, banana, dates, and mango are natural partners with avocados. Grapefruit, with its sweet acidity, makes perhaps the
tomatoes work well. You can see that it’s possible to construct all kinds of salads from these ingredients.
Ripe avocado will thicken soups, but incorporate the pureed flesh just before serving. Because of its tannin content, avocado turns bitter when cooked. It will give salad dressings a smooth, creamy texture without imparting a strong flavor to them.
A salted avocado, tortillas, and a cup of coffee might make an entire meal for Native Americans in tropical Central America. In Guatemala, a ripe avocado is set on the table along with a hot soup or entrée, and the diner scoops out the flesh and adds it just before eating. A gourmet breakfast there might be a half an avocado topped with scrambled eggs and anchovies. Brazilians think of avocado as a true fruit, using it in sorbets, ice cream, and milk shakes—but they add it to the ice cream mixes only after they have cooled so no cooking occurs. New Zealanders like avocado ice cream, too. They blend avocado, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest, milk, cream, sugar, and a bit of salt, then freeze the mixture, beat it until it’s creamy, and refreeze it. Hawaiians go local when they sweeten it with sugar and mix it with pineapple. In Java, avocado is sweetened and mixed with strong black coffee to make a dessert. In the United States, besides its use in salads and sandwiches, avocados are sometimes stuffed with seafood, such as shrimp or crab salad. Slices are routinely added to sandwiches.