Avocado Frites and Prawn Salad with Avocado

Forget guacamole and serve up your avocado in two new ways: avocado frites and a warm arugula and prawn salad with avocado

When most people think avocado, guacamole isn’t too far behind. But rather than dish out the usual suspects, we’ve decided to change it up.

Forget about typical Mexican fare and hamburger toppings, here is avocado reinvented. Yum times two! Enjoy.

Avacado Frites with Garlic Aioli

By Anastasia Koutalianos

Garlic Aioli

Ingredients

• 1-2 garlic cloves*
• 1 egg
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ cup Golden Olive Eleni® organic extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper

*If you like garlic, then go for the gold and add 3 cloves. I did, and it’s gar-lic-ky! Don’t forget though that garlic gets more potent the longer it stands, so adjust to your liking. PS: Roast the garlic if you want a sweeter and milder-tasting aioli.

Instructions

1. Add the garlic, egg, lemon juice and sea salt in a blender or food processor.
2. With the blender or food processor on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it emulsifies. (It is key you add the olive oil in slowly, so take your time.)
3. Pour aioli into a bowl and refrigerate. Top with freshly ground pepper before serving.

Makes about ½ cup.

Avo Frites

Ingredients

• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ tsp smoked hot paprika (or just smoked)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp water
• ½ tsp sea salt
• About 2 cups panko** or breadcrumbs
• 2 firm (but ripe) medium to large avocadoes, halved, pit removed, sliced (about ½ inch thick) and flesh removed from skins***
• Olive oil for frying (I used Golden Olive Eleni® organic extra virgin olive oil)

**Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and works wonderfully in this recipe. It definitely gives the avocado a great crust. (Think tempura coating.) If you can, I would suggest using this over regular breadcrumbs. You can get it at most markets, especially Asian ones. If you like, season the panko as well, but be careful not to over salt.

***You can lightly salt the avocado before dredging it. If you do, adjust your salt levels throughout (in the flour and panko mixtures) so you don’t overdo it.

Instructions

1. In a shallow bowl, add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, chili flakes and a pinch of sea salt and mix well. In another bowl, beat the eggs, water and sea salt until frothy. In a third bowl, add the panko and season if desired. Mix well.
2. Cut an avocado in half. Remove the pit and discard. Take a knife and slice the avocado in the skin into slices about ½ an inch thick. Next, with a spoon, scoop out the avocado flesh in one piece. (Keep at least one avocado skin half for your aioli dip and put aside.)
3. Dredge the avocado slices in the flour, then the egg mixture, and lastly in the panko—making  sure to shake off any excess flour or panko.
4. In a fry pan, heat the olive oil on medium to high heat. Add the three-time dipped avocado slices in the pan and fry on both sides until light brown (about 1-2 minutes each side).
5. Remove slices from the fry pan and add to paper towel (to absorb any excess oil).
6. On a plate arrange the avo frites. Take the reserved avocado skin and fill with the garlic aioli. Top both the fries and dip with coarsely ground pepper and serve together.

Makes about 24-32 slices (depending on slice thickness and avocado size).

Warm Avacado, Arugula & Prawn Salad

By Helen Koutalianos

Dressing

Ingredients

• Juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• ½ cup Golden Olive Eleni® organic extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste 
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard, optional

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients needed for the salad dressing. Blend until emulsified and put aside.

Salad

Instructions

• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into thin slices
• 1lb spot prawns (about 24), deveined and peeled
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup Golden Olive Eleni® organic extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste (for prawns)
• 1 cup oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced 
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 bell peppers (1 red; 1 yellow), thinly sliced
• Sea salt to taste (for mushrooms and pepper medley)
• 4 cups fresh arugula and cardamom leaves, washed*
• 1 cup chives, finely chopped
• ½ English cucumber, peeled, cut in quarters and sliced

*Cardamom greens, like arugula, have a lovely spicy flavour. If you can find them, use them. If not, arugula will do fine.

Instructions

1. In a bowl, squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the cut avocado slices and put aside. In another bowl, add the prawns, lime juice and minced garlic. Toss well and put in the refrigerator to marinate. (Marinate as long as you wish or can.)
2. In a saucepan, heat half (1/4 cup) the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the marinated prawns and sauté until pink. Lightly season with sea salt and remove from heat. Put aside.
3. In a saucepan on medium heat, add the remaining olive oil. Add the mushrooms, garlic, peppers and season with sea salt. Sauté until the peppers are tender. Remove from heat and put aside.
4. In a large single-serving salad bowl, layer the bottom with half the arugula and cardamom greens, chives and cucumber. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of salad dressing.
5. To the greens, add a layer of the sautéed mushrooms and peppers. On top, arrange the cooked prawns and slices of avocado. Add more salad dressing if desired.

Makes 2 large servings.

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Helen Koutalianos is the President and owner of Basil Olive Oil Products. Along with her husband Basil, she imports quality food products from Greece, including their award-winning Golden Olive Eleni® certified organic extra virgin olive oil. She is a director for the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association, and co-author of the cookbook From the Olive Grove: Mediterranean Cooking with Olive Oil. Helen is also a former Greek cooking instructor and food columnist for the Maple Ridge Times.

Anastasia is the director and founder of NADATODO.COM: an online event calendar and promotions/publicity hub. She also reviews theatre and live performance; her write-ups are featured on various blogs and websites, including www.bclifestyle.ca and www.cjsf.ca. Anastasia hosts her own A&E review/music/talk radio show, @nadatodo, every other Sunday from 5-6PM on CJSF 90.1FM. Along with her mother, she co-wrote the cookbook From the Olive Grove: Mediterranean Cooking with Olive Oil. blog | twitter