Grapefruit guacamole - it won't turn brown!

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Last week I made a delicious, miraculous guacamole that will not turn brown.

This guacamole hung around for almost a week in a normal plastic container in the refrigerator and it barely discolored at all. (It lasted because I made a huge batch and we were out of tortilla chips, not because it wasn't good. Just in case you were wondering.)

I assume the secret is the grapefruit flesh. I love grapefruit, so I added the flesh of two beautiful pink grapefruits straight to the guacamole.

You do need to know how to supreme a grapefruit. It's not hard, though: You cut off the ends, carefully cut away the rind, and then slip your knife in along the membranes to loosen the flesh. This video illustrates the process pretty well:


This is a very simple guacamole: avocado, grapefruit, green onions, salt. It's also quite beautiful if you use pink grapefruit because you can see the little pink bits poking out among the light green avocado and darker green onions.

We ate this grapefruit guacamole alongside oven-roasted salmon, with multiple quesadillas, and on sandwiches with smoked salmon and cucumber. Even my grapefruit-wary kids loved it!

Thanks to the California Avocado Commission for sending me a flat of delicious ripe California avocados to play with!

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Grapefruit guacamole

by Erika Kerekes May-15-2013

A simple and delicious guacamole that won't turn brown. The secret ingredient: pink grapefruit.

Ingredients

• 6 ripe avocados
• 2 pink grapefruits
• 2 cups green onions, chopped (1 bunch)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Instructions

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl and mash it with a fork or a potato masher.Supreme the grapefruits: Cut off the ends, the peel, and the white pith. Hold a grapefruit over the bowl with the avocado, then cut between the membranes, releasing the flesh of the grapefruit segments into the bowl. When you've cut all the grapefruit flesh away from the membrane, squeeze the membranes to extract all the remaining juice. Repeat with the other grapefruit. Mash the grapefruit flesh gently into the avocados; you want to retain some chunks, but most of the grapefruit should break up and mix in with the avocado.Stir in the green onions and salt, then mix to combine. Taste and add more salt if desired.Serve immediately. Note: Can be held in the refrigerator in a plastic container up to 5 days without significant discoloration.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 21 mins Yield: 10+ servings

Salmon salad with avocado for Cinco de Mayo

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Eight-seven million pounds.

That's how many avocados the California Avocado Commission estimates we'll be eating on Cinco de Mayo this year.

I'd bet most of those 87 million pounds of avocados will be consumed in the form of guacamole, scooped up with tortilla chips and washed down with beer and/or margaritas.

But I'm planning something a little more delicate for Cinco de Mayo this year. Something with protein and some more vegetables. And I'm skipping the deep-fried chips.

A little health scare chased me back to the straight and narrow this week. I'd gotten lazy, let my eating habits slip. Numbers don't lie. It's time to regroup.

California avocados are back in season, and I know they'll be a big part of my healthy eating efforts. Avocados provide more than a dozen essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B vitamins, and folic acid. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are heart-healthy. And, of course, they're delicious.

This simple fish salad can be made with any leftover cooked fish, or even with canned salmon. Including the zest of the lemon as well as the juice brightens the flavor considerably, so don't leave it out.

Have a happy and healthy Cinco de Mayo!

More avocado recipes from my kitchen: Truffled avocado mousse on toast * Avocado-cucumber soup * Scrambled eggs with avocado * Avocado tacos with chipotle * Green garlic guacamole * Weston's guacamole * Celebrity chef Robert Irvine talks about avocados (exclusive interview!) 

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Salmon salad with avocado and cucumber

by Erika Kerekes May-4-2013

A light chilled salad with heart-healthy ingredients like salmon, avocado and greens. Serve in a scooped-out avocado shell.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces salmon, cooked (use leftovers, or substitute canned salmon)
• 1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and cut into small cubes (about 1/2 a large cucumber; measure after cutting)
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
• 2 avocados, cut in half lengthwise, pit removed, flesh scooped from shells and roughly diced; reserve shells for serving
• 2 cups mixed salad greens, for serving

Instructions

Put the salmon in a medium-sized bowl and flake it with a fork. Add the cucumber, green onions, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix gently until combined. Add the avocado chunks and toss gently once more. Divide the salmon salad evenly among the four avocado shells. Divide the salad greens between two plates and nestle the filled avocado shells on top of the greens, allowing two per person. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 15 mins Yield: 2 servings

Green garlic chicken enchiladas

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Of all Mexican food, I think I love enchiladas most of all.

I can't promise these are the most authentic chicken enchiladas you'll ever make, but they do have a few things going for them:

• Quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce
• Leftover roast chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken
• The mild flavor of green garlic if it's in season
• Cheesy deliciousness! (Well, okay, that's true of most enchiladas)

I make my enchiladas with flour tortillas, but if you prefer corn tortillas, by all means use them.

Note: The canned chiles in adobo sauce give the sauce a smoky backstory, but they also add a little heat. No one in my family objected, but if your kids are really resistant to spicy food, use some mild chili powder instead of the canned chiles.

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Green garlic chicken enchiladas

by Erika Kerekes February-24-2013

Store-bought rotisserie chicken and an easy homemade enchilada sauce make these chicken enchiladas quick to put together. If green garlic isn't in season, use fresh garlic cloves and green onions instead.

Ingredients

• 3 15-ounce cans diced and peeled tomatoes in juice
• 2 canned chiles in adobo sauce
• 1/2 large onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 cup fresh cilantro (stems and leaves)
• 1 fresh lime, peeled (cut away skin and use entire remaining fruit)
• 4 cups meat from leftover roast chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken, coarsely shredded by hand
• 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or any combination of Monterey jack, cheddar, asadero cheese or queso quesadilla)
• 4 large stems green garlic, white and green parts, finely chopped (or substitute 2 cloves fresh garlic plus 4 green onions)
• 10 medium-sized (8-inch) flour tortillas

Instructions

Make the enchilada sauce: Put the tomatoes with juice, chiles, onion, cilantro, and lime into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 2 cups cheese, 1 cup enchilada sauce, and chopped green garlic. Mix well to combine.Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then pour in about a cup of the enchilada sauce, spreading it to cover the bottom of the pan.Working on a flat surface or large cutting board, lay out one tortilla. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture in a line down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla over the filling, then place the filled tortilla seam side down at one end of the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cozying the enchiladas up against each other. When you've made all the enchiladas, pour another cup or two of the sauce on top and spread it around with the back of a spoon so that all the tortilla surfaces are coated with the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake about 45 minutes. Uncover the enchiladas, then bake 5 minutes more. Serve hot.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 50 mins Total time: 1 hour 10 mins Yield: 10 enchiladas