UPFRONT/EAT
10 Great Uses for A Ripe Avocado
NOBODY’S KNOCKING guacamole. But Pati Jinich, chef, author and host of Pati’s Mexican Table and La Frontera on PBS, uses avocados in over 250 recipes. Among her faves:
• Grilled steak and avocado sandwich Peeled slices of the soft green fruit work well on most tortas. Here, use refried beans as a spread.
• Breakfast sandwich Top a grilled ham and cheese with a sunny-side-up egg and sliced avocado.
• Burritos Any wrap becomes more substantial with avocado.
• Avocado pizza Before cooking, add slices of avocado to your basic pizza, along with a protein such as grilled beef, or go with corn, zucchini or fire-roasted poblanos.
• Seafood tacos Diced avocado gives shrimp or fish tacos an authentic Mexican stamp.
• Shrimp roll Fill a grilled bun with shrimp topped with diced avocado and mango.
• Ceviche Give this classic seafood-citrus salad a new dimension.
• Avocado chopped salad Toss chopped avocado with chopped tomato, veggies (hearts of palm, corn) and a light vinaigrette.
• Avocado tuna or egg salad Add cubed avocado to a favorite recipe.
• Tomato avocado salad with queso fresco Any salty soft cheese works well to balance the tomatoes’ sweetness. —Claire McIntosh