An avocado recipe book aims to tickle taste buds in June
Did you know “Flaming June” is also World Avocado Month? The fruit is taking centre stage thanks to the World Avocado Organization, which is advocating eating one a day this month to show off its versatility.
The UK needs little introduction to the fruit as it is just behind France as the biggest market for avocados in Europe. More than 6,000 avocados are sold every hour in the UK, according to the WAO.
But this ancient superfood is a far more versatile and sustainable ingredient than you might imagine – from hair products to dishes like “Foie Guac”. There are so many ways you can enjoy the health benefits of avocados without getting bored or harming the planet. As a consumer, you could cut down on single-use plastics by making your own skin and hair beauty products. Or reduce your meat consumption without compromising on taste or enjoyment with the WAO’s latest cookbook, Avocados in Bloom.
The downloadable freebie has more than 50 original recipes which celebrate the aesthetic appeal of the avocado. The book makes fun and fine dining accessible to everyone from seasoned chefs to beginners. It features the recipes of Collette Dike, the creative force behind the @ fooddeco Instagram account, and is family friendly too.
Collette said: “Avocado is beneficial for babies and kids because it’s chock-full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. I started feeding my kids avocado from a young age. My avocado obsession started as a pregnancy craving while I was expecting my eldest daughter Mae.”
WAO CEO, co-author Xavier Equihua added: “We’ve put together this cookbook to inspire home cooks across the UK to challenge themselves and try a new avocado recipe every day of World Avocado Month. This creativity is matched by the ingenuity of our partners who are always investing in innovative advances and new technologies to make the cultivation and production of avocados more eco-friendly.”
An Avocados in Bloom recipe: vegan oysters with avocado pearls ...
Ingredients: 50g samphire, finely chopped; 100g cucumber, chopped brunoise; A few fresh sprigs of coriander, finely chopped; Juice of half a lemon, and wedges for serving; A quarter of red chilli, finely chopped, more to taste; 12 empty and cleaned oyster shells; Extravirgin olive oil; 1 avocado.
Sea salt and pepper; 125g wakame or seaweed salad, rehydrated; To garnish: cress; To serve: crushed ice.
Method: Combine the samphire, cucumber, coriander and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Season to taste and stir in the chopped chilli. Divide the wakame evenly into the 12 shells. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and use the melon baller to make 12 avocado ‘pearls’ in total, 6 per half.
Divide the samphire and cucumber mixture between the 12 oyster shells, then top each oyster with an avocado pearl. Drizzle with a little olive oil, garnish with cress and serve the oysters immediately on crushed ice, with extra lemon wedges on the side.
See https://avocadofruitoflife.com/en/ to download the book.