So Many Dishes

When I wrote last week about the chicken fajita pasta, I mentioned that the avocado I’d bought to use as a topping didn’t ripen in time. So, what happened to it?

Ken and I both prefer the West Indian type of avocado, rather than Guatemalan-style fruit, of which the best known is the ubiquitous Hass avocado variety. West Indian cultivars are larger, with smooth skin, a lower oil content, and, to us at least, more flavor. The avocados grown in Florida are almost all West Indian varieties, and these were the first avocados we were introduced to. When we first moved to Florida and rented a house in the Redlands, the farming area north of Homestead, there was an old avocado grove on the property. Our landlord said we were welcome to any fruit that fell to the ground. We ate a lot of guacamole!

Predictably, the avocado was ripe the day after I’d wanted to use it. I tossed it into the fridge, and planned to serve some slices with lime juice as a side when I made the jerk pork tenderloin. But between the other sides and trying to watch the soccer match while I was cooking, I forgot about it. So I didn’t cut the avocado until Monday to serve with leftover pork. I don’t think I’ve ever cut open a more perfect avocado. It was perfectly ripe, with no blemishes. It was almost too beautiful to eat. Not really. A little bit of lime juice and a sprinkling of pepper brought out the sweet, nutty flavor.

I sliced half of the fruit, and that was plenty for dinner. The other half appeared at breakfast the next morning. My version of avocado toast melts some shredded Cheddar cheese (or whatever we have on hand) on toast and top with avocado mashed with a bit of lime juice. It’s quick and simple. I don’t usually post about breakfast, but this avocado deserved its moment of glory.

Happy eating!