Chili, avocado get along great
There’s no real shocker here — avocado pairs delightfully with a rich and meaty chili.
But I decided to pair them in a fresh way that is just right for summer grilling season. Rather than simply whip up a pot of chili and scatter some diced avocado over it, I decided to spoon mounds of chili into pitted avocado halves, top everything with cheese, then pop the entire delicious mess on the grill until melty and bubbly.
The chili in this recipe is intentionally simple and meaty. Of course, feel free to substitute your favourite chili recipe or add to mine as you see fit. But I wanted to keep things simple since this ends up being a two-part recipe — first the chili is made on the stove, then the stuffed avocados are grilled.
Chili- Stuffed Avocados
Start to finish: 30 minutes Makes: Six servings 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 lb. lean ground beef 1/2 lb. loose sweet Italian sausage 15-ounce can tomato sauce 6 avocados, halved and pitted (leave the skins on) 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese • sour cream, to serve • fresh cilantro leaves, to serve
In a medium saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic, then sauté for four minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin and cayenne, then cook for another minute. Add the beef and sausage, then sauté until browned and cooked through, about eight minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
While the chili comes to a simmer, heat the grill to medium.
With the cut side up, gently press each avocado half against the counter to slightly flatten the bottom to allow it to sit without tilting.
Alternatively, use a knife to trim off a thin slice of the rounded bottom.
Once the chili is at a simmer, spoon a heaping mound of it into the cavity of each avocado half. Arrange the filled avocados on a rimmed baking sheet for carrying to the grill. Top each with cheese, then bring to the grill. Carefully set each avocado half on the grill grates, close the grill and cook for five minutes or until the cheese is melted and browning.
Arrange two avocado halves per serving plate, then top each with a bit of sour cream and cilantro.