Although the avocado is technically a fruit, in the kitchen we think of it and treat it like a vegetable. While it can be used in desserts, such as ice cream, its culinary uses fall more clearly into the savory category. However, avocados are most often not cooked. They are nearly always used raw, in smoothies, salads—and, of course, guacamole. That said, we have developed a delicious burger recipe using skillet-charred avocados.
There are hundreds of varieties of avocado, but the most common is Hass, grown mainly in California and Mexico; it is small and rough-skinned, with a buttery, meaty texture that was preferred by our tasters. You will also see Fuerte avocados, grown primarily in Florida, which are larger, bright green, and smooth-skinned. These don’t handle the demands of shipping as well as Hass avocados. Our tasters found this variety sweeter, fruitier in flavor, and more watery than the Hass.
You may see Florida avocados marketed under the brand name SlimCado. This is not a new variety, but rather a marketing angle. Florida avocados are slightly lower in fat than Hass, due to their higher water content, but this makes them less suited for classic uses such as guacamole and dressings. All avocados are relatively high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. This buttery richness is why they are so adaptable in the kitchen for use in dips, spreads, and dressings. What’s more, avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit.
In this chapter, we’ve included several fun versions of guacamole for all your party desires, as well as lots of fresh salad combinations, a California-style grain bowl, and a Hawaiian tuna poke bowl. And certainly no collection of avocado recipes would be complete without at least one great recipe for avocado toast.
shopping and storage
Thanks to Mexico’s long growing season, avocados are available year-round. Regardless of the variety, supermarket avocados are typically sold rock-hard and unripe. That’s fine, because avocados ripen off the tree; in two to five days, your avocados should be ready to eat. The skin of Hass avocados turns from deep green to dark purply black as it ripens, and the fruit yields to gentle pressure. Once you get them home, storage couldn’t be easier: Just add them to the fruit bowl on your counter. Or, to speed ripening, store them in a paper bag. Once softened and ripe, they can be refrigerated for several days to extend their shelf life.
is it ripe?
A soft avocado is sometimes just bruised rather than truly ripe. To determine whether it is ripe, remove the small stem with your fingers. If you see green underneath it, the avocado is ripe. But if the stem does not come off easily or you see brown underneath, the avocado is not ripe. Conversely, if your avocado is soft like a tomato, or it feels like there’s a gap between the skin and the flesh underneath, your avocado is overripe.
it isn’t easy being green
A cut avocado seems to turn brown almost instantaneously. Storing it cut side down in water with a few squeezes of lemon juice keeps it green for a couple of days. Vacuum sealing will preserve its green color for a week. Or try one of the avocado “huggers” now available.
vegetable prep
1. Slice around pit and through both ends with chef’s knife.
2. With your hands, twist avocado to separate halves. Strike blade of chef’s knife sharply into pit. Lift knife, twisting blade to loosen and remove pit.
3. Do not pull pit off knife with your hands. Instead, use large wooden spoon to pry pit safely off knife.
Alternatively, use waiter’s corkscrew to remove pit. Hook it securely into pit, and simply pull pit out of avocado half.
1. Use dish towel to hold avocado steady. Make ½-inch crosshatch incisions in flesh of each avocado half with butter knife, cutting down to but not through avocado skin.
2. Separate diced flesh from avocado skin using spoon inserted between skin and flesh, gently scooping out avocado cubes.
POWER SMOOTHIE
Serves 2
Total time: 10 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Rich and subtly sweet, avocado is a natural choice for blending into smoothies. This feel-good “green” power smoothie, with kale, avocado, pineapple, and banana, tastes great while also making you feel virtuous. And it’s filling enough to call it breakfast. We turned to a surprising source for protein for this smoothie: hemp seed hearts. They packed a nutritional punch, and their neutral flavor didn’t overwhelm the produce in the drink. In fact, hemp seed hearts can handle just about any smoothie flavor combination you throw at them. The hulled center of the hemp seed, a soft, almost waxy nugget, blended beautifully into our drink, leaving just a trace of pleasantly grassy, sweet flavor. You can use 2 tablespoons almond butter or ¼ cup wheat germ instead, if you prefer. Do not use frozen chopped kale for this recipe.
1 cup baby kale
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup water
1 ripe banana, peeled and halved lengthwise
½ cup pineapple juice
½ ripe avocado, cut into quarters
2 tablespoons hemp seed hearts
⅛ teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in blender. Process on low speed until mixture is combined but still coarse in texture, about 10 seconds. Increase speed to high and puree until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Serve.
SUPER GUACAMOLE
Makes about 2 cups
Total time: 20 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS No party is complete without a bowl (or two) of guacamole. And now that avocado is such a food celebrity, this tried-and-true standby has become even more adored. Our super guac is all about bold flavor and great texture. First, we chopped the avocados into small pieces. Next, we minced our supercharged seasonings of onion, chile, and lime together to ensure that these strong flavors would be evenly distributed. Mashing everything together with a whisk and then gently folding in the tomato and cilantro made the guac cohesive but still chunky. The variations on our classic offer smoky crunch (with chipotles and pepitas), bright, fruity hotness (with habanero and mango), and creamy, peppery flavor (with feta and arugula). Naturally, all of these can be served with pita chips; the feta and arugula version would also be great with toasted pita wedges.
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
¼ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1½ tablespoons juice
Kosher salt
3 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 plum tomato, cored, seeded, and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Chop and mash onion, chile, and lime zest with 1 teaspoon salt until very finely minced and homogeneous. Transfer to medium serving bowl and stir in lime juice. Add avocados and, using sturdy whisk, mash and stir mixture until well combined with some ¼- to ½-inch chunks remaining. Fold in tomato and cilantro and season with salt to taste. Serve.
VARIATIONS
Chipotle and Pepita Guacamole
Substitute 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce for serrano and ¼ cup toasted pepitas for tomato.
Habanero and Mango Guacamole
Substitute 1 stemmed, seeded, and minced habanero chile for serrano and ½ mango, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces, for tomato.
Feta and Arugula Guacamole
Substitute ½ cup chopped baby arugula for tomato. Add 1 cup crumbled feta cheese with cilantro.
BEAN AND BEEF TAQUITOS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE
Makes 12 taquitos
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The unctuous texture of avocados lends itself well to simple, creamy uncooked sauces that perfectly complement crispy, spicy foods. Taquito means “little taco,” but these filled and fried party-food bites have outsize appeal. Traditional versions can be work-intensive so we streamlined things for an easy at-home method. Spiced ground beef replaced long-braised chuck. Mashed pinto beans thickened the filling and kept it from falling out of the ends. A quick egg wash helped seal the taquitos. Switching from deep frying to shallow frying in a mere cup of oil allowed us to start cooking the taquitos with the seam side in contact with the bottom of the pan, guaranteeing that they didn’t unroll as they cooked. This preparation method also meant they absorbed a minimum of oil during frying. Serve with Mexican crema or your favorite dipping sauce—or make extra avocado sauce.
TAQUITOS
1 cup plus 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 ounces 90 percent lean ground beef
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup water
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 large egg, lightly beaten
AVOCADO SAUCE
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and chopped
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper
1. For the taquitos Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain beef in colander. Mash beans to paste with potato masher.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in jalapeños, garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in drained beef, mashed beans, tomato sauce, water, cilantro, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and beginning to sizzle, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl and let cool, about 20 minutes.
3. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set wire rack inside second rimmed baking sheet. Place 6 tortillas on plate, cover with clean, damp dish towel, and microwave until hot and pliable, about 90 seconds. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, brush edges of top half with egg. Place row of 3 level tablespoons filling across lower half of tortilla. Fold bottom of tortilla up over filling, then pull back on tortilla to tighten it around filling. Roll tightly and place seam side down on lined sheet. Cover with second clean, damp towel. Microwave remaining 6 tortillas and repeat with remaining filling. (Taquitos can be refrigerated, covered with damp towel and wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 24 hours.)
4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat remaining 1 cup oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Using tongs, place 6 taquitos, seam side down, in oil and fry until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and fry until second side is golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and place sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 6 taquitos.
5. For the avocado sauce Combine avocados, sour cream, water, lime juice, and cilantro in bowl and mash with potato masher (or fork) until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve taquitos with sauce.
AVOCADO SALAD WITH TOMATOES AND RADISHES
Serves 6
Total time: 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS In salad, buttery avocados demand an acidic dressing to cut their richness. Using a little mayonnaise as an emulsifier allowed us to make a creamy dressing with equal parts vinegar and olive oil. To add flavor and textural contrast, we steered clear of leafy greens and relied on crunchier vegetables like fennel and radishes and sweet, juicy fruits like cherry tomatoes and mango. A garnish of salty cheese was the perfect finishing touch to complement the creamy avocado. Arranging the dressed avocado chunks below the other ingredients maximized visual appeal by preventing the avocado from turning the salad a murky army green. Crumbled feta cheese can be substituted for the ricotta salata. Don’t skip the step of soaking the shallot—the ice water helps tame its oniony bite.
1 large shallot, sliced thin
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 avocados, halved, pitted, and cut into ¾-inch pieces
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
½ cup chopped fresh basil
3 ounces ricotta salata, shaved thin
1. Place shallot in 2 cups ice water and let stand for 30 minutes; drain and pat dry.
2. Whisk vinegar, garlic, mayonnaise, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Gently toss avocados with 2 tablespoons dressing and ½ teaspoon salt in separate bowl, then transfer to serving platter. Toss shallot, tomatoes, radishes, and basil in bowl with remaining dressing and spoon over avocados. Sprinkle with ricotta salata and serve.
VARIATIONS
Avocado Salad with Oranges and Fennel
Omit pepper. Substitute sherry vinegar for red wine vinegar and ½ teaspoon hot paprika for garlic in dressing. Substitute 1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin for tomatoes, ⅓ cup toasted slivered almonds for radishes, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley for basil, and ¼ cup sliced green olives for ricotta salata. Add 1 teaspoon grated orange zest to dressing in step 2. Cut away peel and pith from 3 oranges, quarter each orange, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces and add to shallot mixture in step 2.
Avocado Salad with Mangos and Jícama
Reduce shallot to 1 tablespoon, minced, and skip step 1. Substitute pinch cayenne for garlic and ½ teaspoon lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice for red wine vinegar in dressing. Substitute 2 mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces for tomatoes; 2 cups peeled jícama cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks for radishes; and feta cheese for ricotta salata. Reduce basil to ¼ cup and add ¼ cup chopped fresh mint to shallot mixture in step 2.
COBB SALAD WITH CREAMY AVOCADO DRESSING
Serves 6 to 8
Total time: 50 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This is a show-stopper of a salad, a celebration of avocado’s unctuous texture and a welcome update for an American classic. Cobb salad generally features everything but the kitchen sink: chopped salad greens, chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese, and a litany of other ingredients. Stories vary as to its origin, but popular belief is that Robert Howard Cobb, owner of the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, needed a late-night fix, so he mixed together whatever he could find in the kitchen. In our version, we wanted to bring the avocado into the limelight in a more untraditional way. Instead of using the expected chunks of avocado, we capitalized on the creamy texture of this fruit to make a smooth, velvety dressing that coated every piece of lettuce. To give our dressing some zing, we pulsed in lemon and garlic. To complement this tangy dressing, there’s plenty of romaine for sturdy, refreshing crunch and also pieces of radicchio for their slightly bitter notes. We drizzled extra avocado dressing over the top, creating a striking vibrant green contrast against all the other colorful elements of this dish.
DRESSING
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
SALAD
6 large eggs
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
8 slices bacon, chopped
3 romaine lettuce hearts (18 ounces), torn into bite-size pieces
½ small head radicchio (3 ounces), cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1. For the dressing Process avocado, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to large bowl and adjust consistency with up to ¼ cup water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
2. For the salad Bring 1 inch water to rolling boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Place eggs in steamer basket, then transfer basket to saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook eggs for 13 minutes. When eggs are almost finished cooking, fill medium bowl halfway with ice and water. Using tongs or spoon, transfer eggs to ice bath; let sit for 15 minutes. Peel and quarter eggs, and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate; set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, add chicken, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to plate and let cool slightly.
4. Toss romaine, radicchio, and ½ cup dressing together in large bowl. Transfer to serving platter and mound in even layer. Arrange eggs and tomatoes in single, even rows over greens, leaving space at either end. Arrange half of chicken in each open space at ends of platter. Sprinkle bacon and blue cheese over top of salad. Drizzle remaining dressing over salad and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately.
SHRIMP SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND ORANGE
Serves 4
Total time: 40 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The buttery richness of avocado pairs beautifully with sweet shrimp in this fresh take on a classic deli salad. For firm yet tender shrimp, we started the shrimp in cold court bouillon, heating the shrimp and liquid together to just a near-simmer. For a perfect deli-style dressing that wouldn’t mask the flavor of the salad ingredients, we kept the traditional mayonnaise, but limited the amount to ¼ cup per pound of shrimp. Radishes added a hit of peppery flavor, the orange contributed a bright citrusy punch, and the mint lent a cool herbal note. The avocado adds velvety texture along with its creamy flavor. This recipe can also be prepared with large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound); the cooking time will be 1 to 2 minutes less. The shrimp can be cooked up to 24 hours in advance, but hold off on dressing the salad until ready to serve. The recipe can be easily doubled; cook the shrimp in a 7-quart Dutch oven and increase the cooking time to 12 to 14 minutes. Serve the salad on a bed of greens, on a buttered and grilled bun, or in a hollowed-out avocado half.
1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
5 tablespoons lemon juice, spent halves reserved (2 lemons)
5 sprigs fresh parsley
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 small shallot, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
1 orange, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ avocado, cut into ½-inch pieces
1. Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Combine 2 cups cold water, shrimp, ¼ cup lemon juice, reserved lemon halves, parsley sprigs, peppercorns, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook shrimp, stirring several times, until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes (water should be just bubbling around edge of pan and register 165 degrees). Off heat, cover, and let shrimp stand in broth for 2 minutes.
2. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to ice water, and let sit until cool, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to triple layer of paper towels and dry well. Cut shrimp in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into thirds.
3. Whisk mayonnaise, shallot, mint, and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice together in serving bowl. Add shrimp, radishes, orange, and avocado to mayonnaise mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
VEGETABLES REIMAGINED
CRISPY SKILLET TURKEY BURGERS WITH CHARRED AVOCADO RELISH
Sure, you can simply mash up an avocado for a quick burger topping, but charring sliced avocados in a skillet takes things to a whole new level. The char amps up the normally mild-tasting fruit with a punch of smokiness. Chopping the charred avocado shows off the black and green color contrast, and tossing it in the vinaigrette brightens the flavors. It’s a versatile addition to your burger repertoire.
1. Halve and pit the avocados, using one of the methods described on this page.
2. Cut each avocado half lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet and cook the avocado slices until well charred on both sides, flipping them carefully.
4. Cut the charred avocado slices into ¼-inch pieces to highlight the contrast between the char marks and the green color.
5. Toss the avocado pieces with the vinaigrette to brighten their flavor and retain their color.
6. Spread half of the avocado relish over the bun bottoms; top with the lettuce, tomato, and burgers; and then top the burgers with the remaining relish and the alfalfa sprouts.
CRISPY SKILLET TURKEY BURGERS WITH CHARRED AVOCADO RELISH
Serves 4
Total time: 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Sliced or mashed avocado is a great addition to burgers and sandwiches, but it’s usually more about richness than flavor. We wanted to develop an intensely flavored avocado topping that offered more than just textural contrast. Grilling or charring avocados produces robust, smoky flavors that linger and cut through the vegetable’s fattiness. We started by charring avocado slices in a skillet and mashing them in a simple vinaigrette of garlic and smoked paprika. Although the mashed avocados boasted an intense smokiness, we wanted to improve the look of our topping. So instead, we chopped the avocados, which showed the contrast between black and green and made it a beautiful, spoonable relish. Be sure to use ground turkey, not ground turkey breast (also labeled 99 percent fat-free) in this recipe. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste.
RELISH
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced to paste
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
2 avocados, halved, pitted, and sliced lengthwise ½ inch thick
BURGERS
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (½ cup)
¼ cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 hamburger buns, toasted
1 tomato, cored and sliced thin
½ head Bibb lettuce (4 ounces), leaves separated
2 ounces (2 cups) alfalfa sprouts
1. For the relish Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, chives, vinegar, garlic, paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until combined. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add avocados in single layer and cook without moving until charred on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer avocados to cutting board and cut into ¼-inch pieces. Add avocados to bowl with vinaigrette and toss gently to combine; set aside until ready to serve.
2. For the burgers Combine panko, Monterey Jack, mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Add ground turkey and knead with your hands until combined. Using your hands, pat turkey mixture into four ¾-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter. Season patties with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add patties and cook until well browned and burgers register 160 degrees, about 5 minutes per side. Spread half of relish evenly over bun bottoms and top with tomato and lettuce. Place burgers on lettuce; top with remaining relish, sprouts, and bun tops. Serve.
TUNA POKE WITH AVOCADO
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus 18 hours refrigeration time)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Hawaiian fishermen would save the trimmings from their daily catch to season and serve raw, with colorful vegetable toppings. Their humble working-class dish has now exploded onto the fast-casual dining scene. Avocado is a common addition to poke, so we wanted to highlight it by dialing the amount way up. Its richness is offset by the pungent ginger and mirin in the soy-sesame dressing. To pack more tuna flavor into every bite, we wrapped the tuna in kombu (the Japanese kelp used to make dashi broth) and cured it overnight—a simple Japanese technique called kobu-jime. This treatment drew out moisture from the fish, firming up the flesh, and gave it an umami boost. The success of this dish depends on using fresh, high-quality tuna. If you can’t find one large tuna steak, purchase two ½-inch-thick 6-ounce steaks. Hijiki seaweed is milder than kombu or wakame (the leafy green seaweed swimming in your miso soup) and adds an understated vegetal sea flavor without being briny. It can be purchased at well-stocked grocery stores or online. You can substitute wakame for hijiki; just be sure to roughly chop wakame after soaking in step 3.
1¾ ounces dried kombu
1 (12-ounce) tuna steak, 1 inch thick
2 teaspoons kosher salt
⅛ ounce dried hijiki
½ Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped fine
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon corn syrup
¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 avocados, halved, pitted, and cut in ¾-inch pieces
¼ cup salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts, chopped coarse
6 scallions, sliced thin on bias
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
1. Soak kombu in container filled with 1 quart water until slightly softened and pliable, about 10 minutes. Drain kombu and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Slice tuna horizontally into two ½-inch-thick steaks and sprinkle evenly with salt. Lay half of kombu strips in single layer on counter to make a 7-inch square. Place 1 tuna steak in center of kombu square. Fold edges of kombu up around tuna and top with additional pieces of kombu as needed to completely encase. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining kombu and second tuna steak; transfer to plate. Refrigerate kombu-wrapped tuna steaks for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours.
3. Soak hijiki in 1 quart water until softened and plumped, at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Place onion in 2 cups ice water and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Whisk soy sauce, oil, mirin, corn syrup, and ginger together in large bowl. Unwrap tuna, discard kombu, and pat tuna dry with paper towels. Cut tuna into ½-inch pieces and transfer to bowl with dressing. Drain hijiki and onion in fine-mesh strainer, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Pat dry with paper towels and add to bowl with tuna. Add avocados and nuts and gently toss to combine. Divide poke among individual serving bowls and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
AVOCADO TOAST
Serves 4
Total time: 15 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Some dishes are so simple that they are not even worth talking about. But avocado toast is definitely worth a discussion. Avocado toast is here to stay: It’s healthy, delicious, satisfying, and one of the simplest things to make for a quick breakfast or lunch. We took ours up a notch by whisking together a lemony vinaigrette and mixing it in as we mashed one of the avocados, giving our dish a distinct citrusy punch. Smeared on toasted rustic country bread, topped with sliced avocado, then sprinkled with a little coarse sea salt and red pepper flakes, our version of avocado toast is spectacularly tasty. Topping it with fried eggs just takes it over the top.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and pepper
2 ripe avocados
4 (½-inch-thick) slices crusty bread
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1. Whisk oil, lemon zest and juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in small bowl. Halve and pit 1 avocado. Carefully make ½-inch crosshatch incisions in flesh with butter knife, cutting down to but not through skin. Insert spoon between skin and flesh, gently scoop out avocado cubes, and add to bowl with oil mixture. Mash avocado into vinaigrette with potato masher (or fork). Halve remaining avocado, remove pit and peel, and slice thin; set aside.
2. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place bread on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until bread is deep golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
3. Spread mashed avocado mixture evenly on toasts. Arrange avocado slices evenly over top. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper flakes, if using, and serve.
VARIATION
Avocado Toast with Fried Eggs
Crack 4 eggs into 2 small bowls (2 eggs per bowl) and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour 1 bowl of eggs into 1 side of pan and second bowl into other side. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and let sit, covered, for 15 to 45 seconds for runny yolks (white around edge of yolk will be barely opaque), 45 to 60 seconds for soft but set yolks, or about 2 minutes for medium-set yolks. Top avocado toasts with fried eggs and serve.
CALIFORNIA BARLEY BOWLS WITH AVOCADO, SNOW PEAS, AND LEMON-MINT YOGURT SAUCE
Serves 4
Total time: 50 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For a fresh, California-style take on wildly popular rice bowls, we swapped the rice for hearty barley and paired it with snow peas, chunks of ripe avocado, and toasted spiced sunflower seeds. While the barley cooked, we sautéed the snow peas with some coriander and toasted the sunflower seeds with lots of warm spices. Last, we mixed together a quick lemon-mint yogurt sauce to drizzle over the top. We tossed the barley with the peas, topped it with the chunks of avocado and the sunflower seeds, and drizzled it all with the sauce. Do not substitute hulled or hull-less barley in this recipe. If using quick-cooking or presteamed barley (read the ingredient list on the package carefully to determine this), you will need to alter the barley cooking time in step 1.
1 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
Salt and pepper
1 cup pearl barley
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces snow peas, strings removed and halved lengthwise
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¾ cup sunflower seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 avocados, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1. Whisk yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice, 1 tablespoon mint, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add barley and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain barley. Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon mint together in large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in barley and toss to coat. Cover to keep warm.
3. While barley cooks, heat 1½ teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add snow peas and ½ teaspoon coriander and cook until peas are spotty brown, about 3 minutes; add to bowl with barley and toss to combine.
4. Add remaining 1½ teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in sunflower seeds, cumin, cardamom, remaining ½ teaspoon coriander, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until seeds are toasted, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly off heat.
5. Portion barley into individual serving bowls, top with avocados and spiced sunflower seeds, and drizzle with yogurt sauce. Serve.