Guacamole

I LOOOVE guacamole...  Who doesn't? 

But, do you know how to make a good one? 

Authentic Mexican recipe, courtesy of my husband.

INGREDIENTS

2 ripe avocados

1/2 garlic clove 

2 green onions

3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime juice

1/4 ripe tomato (or 3 cherry tomatoes)

Salt to taste

1/2 red chili (optional)

PREPARATION

Cut the avocados in halves.  Discard pits.
Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon.  Place in a food processor or blender.
Peel and slice garlic, add.
Wash and chop onions, add.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth (or blend for as long as you like, if you prefer the chunky consistency).

Serve immediately on a bowl, with corn chips or corn tortillas for dipping.

You can NOT keep this in the fridge!  You'll have to it all of it... but don't worry, it won't be difficult.

Salmorejo With Avocado (Andalusian Cold Tomato Soup)

This cold tomato soup is typical from Andalusia, Southern Spain, the land of my ancestors. 

The traditional recipe does not have avocado in it, but I love the creaminess it adds to the already delicious soup.

INGREDIENTS

6 large red tomatoes (sweet, organic, flavorful  -forget about the other ones!)

1 avocado

1 slice fresh bread

1 or 2 garlic cloves (depending on how garlicky you like it...)

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (if you have Spanish olive oil, this is the moment to use it)

2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, if you don't have the wine kind)

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup cold bottled water

Salt to taste

PREPARATION

How to peel the tomatoes:

Prepare a big bowl with cold water and reserve.

Place a large pot with water over high heat and bring it to boil. 

Wash the tomatoes and make a small cut on every one (around the stem part) and throw them in the boiling water for a few seconds. Remove them quickly from the boiling water using a strainer and place them in the bowl with cold water (you don't want to cook them).

Now you'll be able to peel the tomatoes very easily!

Cut them in quarters and reserve.

Wash the avocado, cut it in half, remove the pit and peel it. 

Place the avocado and tomatoes in a food processor and blend. 

Add the bread, tearing it into pieces with your hands and blend.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Place it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

Serve very cold!

You can keep it in the refrigerator in a proper container for two days.

Avocado Grapefruit Salad

5-minute delicious salad!

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado

canned grapefruit slices*

1 green onion

Salad dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1tbsp orange juice

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

*You can find them in the refrigerated area of your produce section

PREPARATION

Cut the avocado in slices and place them in a salad plate.

Add the grapefruit slices.

Cut the green onion into very thin slices and sprinkle on top of the avocado and grapefruit.

Whip all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and add to salad.

Avocado Tofu Ginger Salad

This salad is incredibly simple and super tasty!

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

1 avocado

1/2 tofu block (soft or firm, whatever you prefer)

1 green onion (or 2, depending on how big the onions are)

1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

1/4 sheet nori seaweed 

1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

Salad dressing:

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp rice vinegar

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1/2 lime juice

PREPARATION

Cut the avocado into small cubes and place in 2 bowls.
Squeeze the lime juice on top of it.

Cut the tofu into small cubes and add.

Cut the green onion into very thin slices and add.

Cut out a quarter of a nori sheet (reserve the other part for future cooking). Then cut it in half, put the halves together and cut in half again. Put together and repeat again. You should have now layers of small rectangles together. Cut them into thin strips and add.
Add the shredded ginger.

Add the sesame seeds. (If you don't have the toasted kind, just put a skillet over medium heat -no oil- and toast the seeds for a minute or two. You'll know when they're ready because they will smell really nutty and good).

In a separate bowl, put all the ingredients for the dressing together and whip them until it's well mixed.

Add to bowls and serve immediately.

Veggie Maki (Sushi Rolls)

INGREDIENTS (for 6 rolls)

6 sheets nori seaweed 

2 cups of Japanese rice

1 avocado

1/2 cucumber (make sure it's not bitter!!)

1 carrot

Rice seasoning: 

- 2 tbsp vegan white sugar

- 4 tbsp rice vinegar

- 1/2 tsp salt

Soy sauce (for sushi/sashimi, if you have it)

Wasabi

Bamboo rolling mat

PREPARATION

How to prepare Sushi rice:

(Always start making this because it takes a lot of time)

Wash rice in cold water, stirring the pot and drain the water until it run clear (about 10 washes).

Leave the washed rice in the pot and add 3 cups of cold water. Bring water to a boil over medium/high heat, and when it starts to boil, cover the pot and keep it cooking for about 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to low/simmer and cook about 10 minutes. DO NOT UNCOVER the pot at any time!!! Turn off heat and let stand 15 minutes. DO NOT UNCOVER YET!!

After 15 minutes, you can uncover the pot and leave it standing for 10 minutes, without stirring yet. Just wait. (Only if you are not sure if the rice is well cooked, grab a teaspoon and take a little rice so you can taste it. If by any chance rice is not well done, add a little more water and cook for a few more minutes. Sometimes it depends on the rice type or brand, but I always cook it this way and it's always perfect!).

Meanwhile, place the sugar, salt and rice vinegar in a small pot over low heat until it dissolves (about 1 minute), while moving the pot and shaking it slowly.
Turn off heat and wait for it to cool.

After 10 minutes, add this seasoning to the rice, slowly, while gently stirring the rice with a wooden spatula. Rice should be shiny and quite loose.

How to make the rolls:

Place the nori sheet on the bamboo rolling mat.
Place the rice in the nori sheet (see photo below).
Add the vegetables, cut into long strips, approximately in the center:

Roll the mat slowly, maintaining uniform pressure along the roll. This first round should be very compact:

Once rolled up, set aside and continue rolling the next one.

When you're finished, cut roll in half and put these two pieces together in parallel, re-cut in half, and again. Do the same with each roll (good way to keep the proportions of each piece).

Serve with wasabi and soy sauce, for dipping.

IDEAS FOR DIFFERENT FILLINGS:

Fried tofu, homemade vegenaise, oshinko (pickled daikon), avocado, cucumber, carrot.

1) Arugula, avocado, "Snapea Crisps" (original), green onions.

2) Cooked spinach, tofu, carrot (this is my version of the Korean "Kim Bap").

3) Kanpyo (cooked dry gourd).

I guess I'll have to post a few more recipes on how to make these...

Corn Soup With Avocado

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

1 onion
2 cups sweet corn (cooked)*
2 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk (14 fl oz)
1 avocado (small)
lemon pepper (or black pepper)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger
salt
6 tbsp olive oil

*Frozen sweet corn also works for this recipe!


PREPARATION

Cut the onion into fine strips.

Put the olive oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add the onion. 

Fry on medium heat until golden, stirring often. It can take about 10-15 minutes.

Add the sweet corn, stir, cook for 5 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and cook for 10 minutes.

Place the soup in a different bowl where you can use a hand-blender, or place it in a big food processor or blender. Blend until you have a smooth puree.

Strain the puree mixture to remove corn peels. This is an important step for texture. 

Place the puree back in the cooking pot.

Add the coconut milk slowly while stirring, and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Turn off the heat, add ginger and sesame oil and stir. 

Serve on bowls.

Cut the avocado in strips and place it on the soup. It will remain on the surface.

Add lemon pepper and serve immediately.