As with all fruits and vegetables, wash avocados before cutting. Check out our tips for how to choose and use California Avocados
Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled … Avocados?
Yup, it’s true! Well maybe not the part about Peter Piper; I’m not sure what was in that little rascal’s basket … but it is true that you can pickle avocados! Are you surprised? It’s just one way of preserving avocados.
Hi! I’m Chris from The Café Sucré Farine (my blog) and I’m thrilled that The California Avocado Commission has invited me to be a guest blogger on their wonderful blog. Thanks Zac and Angela!
My husband, Scott and I have been working with the delightful folks at The Avocado Commission for the past year and a half in recipe development and photography. One of the first recipes I was asked to develop for them was a Pickled Avocado recipe. It seems that lots of people are interested in how to preserve avocados. This was a bit of a challenge for me as I’d never even heard of pickled avocados and I had no idea where to begin.
But Scott has as funny little moniker that he’s called me for as long as I can remember. He calls me “the mad scientist in the kitchen.” I truly lived up to my calling on this project, as I developed this pickled avocado recipe. “Could I get them to taste good?” “How long would they last?” “Will they turn brown?” “What kind of vinegar should I use?” “What ratio of vinegar to water would work?” “Should I add sugar? Spices? Kosher salt, sea salt, regular salt? Herbs?” all sorts of questions roiling around in my “scientist brain!”
I tested and tweaked for about a week and we tasted lots of pickled avocados. Some not so great, some with promise. In the end though, I was quite thrilled with the results.
This recipe is quite simple with the avocados shining through; the stars. It includes, in addition to slices, wedges or chunks of avocado, white balsamic vinegar, water, a bit of salt, honey, garlic, rosemary and thin slivers of lemon. They are great for hors d’oeuvres, in sandwiches, salads and just for snacking right out of the jar. Because of the pickling process, these Pickled California Avocados w/ Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary don’t turn brown if they are exposed to the air, making them perfect for a delicious and appealing party appetizer.
We’ve always been crazy about avocados at The Café, and they’re in my shopping cart every week. I didn’t realize how much we love these lovely pear-shaped green orbs till I typed avocado in the search bar of my blog recently. Oh my! In the past three years we’ve posted over 60 recipes featuring avocados!
Along the way, I’ve discovered some fun and delicious ways to extend their life in addition to pickling. If you like hummus and you’re a fan of guacamole, you will love this Gucamole Hummus. It’s super delicious and fabulous with chips, crackers and crudités. Everyone seems to go crazy over it.
Another favorite of ours is this Avocado Crema. We can’t get enough of it and enjoy it with a variety of South of the Border entrees; tacos, carnitas, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas … Avocado Crema also makes a great dip and a delicious sandwich spread. It keeps its bright green color and fresh flavor for 4-5 days!
If you’re a salad fan, I have a feeling you’ll really like this next one; it’s an Avocado Basil Vinaigrette. Creamy avocados combined with fresh, vibrant basil transforms any just about any salad ingredients into a gourmet delight. I love to serve it over a salad of baby arugula, diced peaches, slivered red onion and toasted pecans. This dressing keeps it’s vibrant color for at least for 3-4 days.
Are you ready for the crème de la crème? An unusual, but super delicious way to preserve avocados: bake with them! Yes it’s true, avocados can replace some of the unhealthy fats that are often used in baking and most of the baked goods keep well for several days. Or you can freeze them indefinitely. A few of our favorites include California Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies and these California Avocado Cupcakes with Key Lime Icing.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of ways to preserve and prolong wonderful California Avocados; and if you’re looking for even more avocado recipes click on over to The Café Sucré Farine. We love visitors!
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