Chilled Avocado Soup

Chilled and creamy served as an appetizer

I love this recipe and it is a breeze to make.  Lovely flavors with just a touch of cayenne and oh so delicious fresh lime juice.  This is my sweet Mom's recipe and it's one of my favorites, just perfect for spring time.  Or summer for that matter, as it happens to feel like in Texas already.  I searched until I found just the right over sized shot glasses to serve this for the girls in my bunco group.  This is an easy recipe to double or triple.  Just allow for 1 avocado per person.  The recipe below serves 4 regular soup bowl servings or a bunch of single appetizer servings.  Don't get the idea it is just for girls, my husband gobbles it up too!

Chilled Avocado Soup

4 avocados (1 per person)
2 C heavy cream
2 C chicken stock
2 T lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
healthy dash of cayenne

Process all ingredients except heavy cream, in food processor or blender until smooth.  Stir in cream. Taste to adjust seasonings.  Allow to chill in refrigerator.  Garnish with lemon or lime slices.

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Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction

2010 Shurvilleobbs Spring Break Series ~ Part 1 (Shurbets, Melvilles and Dobbs)

As you saw on my last post, the menu was tacked to the refrigerator in our beach house.  This beach house, btw, we will seek to rent again if at all possible.  Gorgeous, 3 story, 5 bedroom, 4 bath, beautiful kitchen, completely decorated from room to room with Ethan Allen furniture, all smack dab on the beach in Topsail (say it like you're Thurston Howell - "Topsill", unless you want to sound like a tourist).            Haha, I saw you.

Back to the list.  Each day, each family (3 families) was responsible for the entire day's meal, including clean-up; giving the other bunch of us the day off ~ completely, no cooking or cleaning.  Most, followed the rules, DAMNIT JANET, and stayed out of the kitchen and didn't clean on their days off.

One of the days breakfast was one of my absolute favorites!  Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction  Warning, the photos are crummy, ie paper plate and bad lighting, but the taste is fabulous!!!

Told ya!

I found this recipes a couple of years ago on Follow That Food, I LOVE IT!  Easy and elegant.

Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:

8 eggs, lightly beaten
4 ounces milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper
1 loaf sourdough bread cut in 1/2-inch slices
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
6 ounces Monterey Jack


Plum tomato jam:
1 pound cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 ounces sugar


Balsamic reduction:
6 ounces aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


In a medium size bowl combine the eggs, milk, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper, and lightly beat. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture covering both sides. In a baking dish lightly coated with olive oil, place a layer of bread slices on the bottom. Arrange a layer of avocado slices in a fan design on top of the bread. Cover with a layer of Monterey Jack. Place another layer of the dipped bread slices over the cheese and avocados. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until bread is nicely browned.


To make the tomato jam, saute the tomatoes and sugar in a pan until liquid reduces and becomes thick.


In a medium size pot, reduce the vinegar until slightly thickened.


To serve, remove the avocado cristo from baking dish and cut into wedges. Arrange wedges on each plate with the plum tomato jam and a drizzle of the balsamic reduction. Garnish plate with lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a slice of avocado.

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Stuffed Deep Fried Avocados with Tomatillo Sauce

While flipping through my latest issue of Food Network Magazine, I noticed a Secret Ingredient Contest in the back of the magazine with Chiles starring as the main event. Chiles?? Well I can do that right, I am a Texan afterall! Wish me luck, here is the recipe I created and submitted for the contest!!

Rice/Chile Stuffing: 1 C Rice 1 garlic clove-whole, peeled ¼ C onion-finely diced 1 Tbl Spanish Rice Seasoning 2 C Chicken Stock, unsalted 3 Tbl Cilantro-roughly chopped ½ C Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded 2 Hatch Chiles-Roasted, peeled and diced Juice of 1 small lime In medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine rice, garlic clove, onion and seasoning. Dry saute until rice is lightly toasted. Add chicken stock, bring to boil then cover and reduce to simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff and allow to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, toss together with cheese, chiles, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and set aside. Salsa: 6 Tomatillos-quartered 2 medium onions-quartered 3 garlic cloves 2 whole jalapenos (red if you can find them for color) remove stem 3 Tbl Olive oil + 1 Tbl Salt & Pepper Juice of 1 Lime ½ C Cilantro 3 Hatch Chiles- roasted, peeled and rough chopped Preheat oven 400 degrees. Toss all ingredients and spread on baking sheet. Roast approximately 20 minutes or until edges are roasted. Transfer contents of baking sheet to food processor. To the processor, add the lime juice, cilantro and Hatch Chiles. Pulse until combined to rough chop. Preheat remaining olive oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute Tomatillo mixture for approximately 15 minutes, stirring frequently until all flavors meld together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. Avocados: 4 Ripe Avocados-peeled, cut in half and seeds removed 4 egg whites in medium bowl 3 egg yolks in small bowl 1 C flour 1 Tbl Ancho chile powder Salt & Pepper ¼ C Pepitas-toasted and ground roughly, additional ¼ C toasted & left whole 48 ounces Canola Oil Preheat oil in to 350 degrees. Combine flour, chile powder, salt, pepper and ground pepitas, in small baking dish, set aside. In medium size mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Break up yolks and fold into egg whites by hand, do not over mix. After removing seed from avocados, scoop out a little more of the flesh to make room for more of the rice stuffing. Fill each half of the avocado with the rice mixture. Press halves back together to reform avocado. Roll each filled avocado in flour mixture. Dip in egg white mixture to coat and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain. To serve, Make puddle of tomatillo sauce in center of plate. Place fried avocado on top. Spoon additional sauce over top.

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