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Great time to open wide and say, ahhhh-vocado

Available year-round from different growing regions, the versatile fruit offers myriad ways to think green.

By Susan M. Selasky / McClatchy Newspapers

Guacamole is great, no denying that. But although the yummy dip is undoubtedly one of their most popular uses, there are tons of other reasons to love avocados.

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Chipotle chicken tacos with avocado and cucumber relish.

McClatchy Newspapers

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An avocado, turkey and Brie panini.

MCT

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You can use them to make dipping sauces for chicken, pork and beef.

You can mash, season and spread them on bread for sandwiches.

You can slice them for salads and sandwiches, puree them for smoothies and use them in cooked dishes.

A personal favorite is avocado slices drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with fine sea salt and chopped cilantro.

And although one medium avocado contains a lot of fat – 30 grams – it's mostly the monounsaturated kind thought to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol and boost good (HDL) cholesterol.

Botanically, avocados are a fruit, but you'll usually find them stacked near the vegetables in stores. They're available year-round thanks to growing regions in California, Florida, Mexico and Chile.

In stores now is the black-skinned Hass variety from Mexico. The California Hass comes in March.

Varieties from California and Mexico often are said to have the best flavor.

At Honey Bee Market in Detroit's Mexicantown, produce manager Andrew Cash said the store typically goes through about 260 cases – there are 60 avocados in a case – in a week.

"They're looking pretty good," Cash said of the Mexican avocados. "They're ripening nicely, have good color and it's a good-tasting avocado."

In a good avocado, Cash said, the pit pulls away cleanly from the flesh.

Honey Bee Market makes and sells about 800 pounds of guacamole in a typical week, he said.

ALL ABOUT THE AVOCADO

It's a fruit, not a vegetable, a native of South and Central America.

Hass and Fuerte are the most common varieties.

More than 90 percent of the nation's avocados come from California.

Florida avocados of the Fuerte variety are larger and have more water and less fat than Hasses.

Avocados can hang on the tree for months before being picked. They ripen off the tree.

Avocados are sodium- and cholesterol-free and have only five grams of fat per 1-ounce serving (about 3 slices). Again, most of the fat is monounsaturated, a good fat thought to benefit cholesterol health.

Avocados also are a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that's good for the eyes.

Refrigerate only ripe avocados; unripe avocados will not ripen in the cold. Store ripe avocados for up to five days – longer and the flesh can turn to flavorless mush and darken.

Freeze pureed avocado for about four months to use in dips, sauces and spreads. Puree ripe avocados in a blender using 1 tablespoon of lime or lemon juice for each avocado. Place in airtight container leaving ½ to 1 inch head space. Cover and freeze.

Source: www.avocadocentral.com

BUYING, PITTING, SLICING

To use right away, choose ripe avocados with smooth dark green skin or pebbly skin that is almost purplish-black.

Press gently on the widest part; your finger should leave a slight indentation. Don't buy if fruit has uneven soft spots.

If not using right away, choose hard fruits with bright-green skins. Leave them on the counter to ripen in three to four days. Place them in a paper bag with an apple or banana to speed up ripening.

Ignore "ripe for tonight" stickers on avocados. Judge by touch.

To slice, place on the counter and steady with the palm of your hand. Slice around the circumference and twist to separate. One half will have the pit. Carefully stab the pit with a sharp knife so it sticks and work out the pit.

To mash, spoon out the flesh. To dice or slice, cut the flesh while still in the skin and use a spoon to release the slices or dice. For even slices, cut the flesh through the skin and then remove the skin.

Once it's cut, sprinkle the flesh with lemon or lime juice and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the avocado. This helps prevent darkening.

BASIC GUACAMOLE

The Hass Avocado Board estimated that more than 71 million pounds of the purple-black Hass avocados were consumed during the Super Bowl – enough to cover Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis "end zone to end zone in more than 27.5 feet of avocados."

Here's a favorite basic spicy guacamole dip recipe that makes about 2½ cups. You can tailor the chili peppers and cayenne to your taste. If you can't find ripe tomatoes, omit them. It's best to make the guacamole ahead and refrigerate it for a few hours before serving.

In a large bowl, lightly mash flesh of 4 avocados. Leave it chunky. Add ½ cup chopped white onion, 2 diced Roma tomatoes, juice of 1 large lime, ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves, 1 seeded and chopped jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, 1 finely minced large clove garlic, 1 teaspoon (or more as desired) salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1½ teaspoons favorite chili powder, such as ground ancho (optional). Stir together lightly.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Press plastic wrap directly on the dip and cover with another lid.

CRAB CAKES STUFFED WITH AVOCADO

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 minutes

Total: 1 hour

The delicate flavor of crab and the soft buttery texture of avocados give a rich taste. You can make the crab cakes dinner size or smaller.

8 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper

2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese

3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 egg, beaten

½ teaspoon salt

2 (6-ounce) cans lump crabmeat, rinsed, drained, picked through for shells and squeezed dry

1 ripe Hass avocado, seeded, peeled and finely chopped

6 cups mixed greens

Mandarin orange slices

1/3 cup prepared balsamic salad dressing

In a small skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and saute 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine shallot and red pepper, bread crumbs, cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, egg, salt and crabmeat. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.

Stir in avocado. Form crab mixture into 12 cakes and chill for 30 minutes.

In large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add crab cakes and cook for about 3 minutes or until browned; turn and brown other side. Serve on a bed of greens with mandarin orange segments drizzled with dressing.

Adapted from www.avocadocentral.com.

Per serving: 350 calories (49 percent from fat), 19 g fat (3.5 grams sat. fat), 29 g carbohydrates, 18 g protein, 780 mg sodium, 95 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber.

AVOCADO, TURKEY AND BRIE PANINI

Makes: 6

Prep: 10 minutes

Total: 15 minutes

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 large garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (16-ounce) ciabatta or other rustic bread, halved horizontally

8 ounces thinly sliced turkey

8 ounces sliced Brie cheese

2 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded and each cut into 12 slices

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and garlic to blend; season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Open the bread like a book. Brush some of the dressing on the inside of the bottom half of the bread. Layer turkey, cheese and sliced avocados on the bottom half. Drizzle with more of the dressing and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press top of bread over. Cut bread into sandwiches.

Cook in a heated sandwich grill or panini maker 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sandwiches are golden on both sides.

Adapted from www.avocadocentral.com.

Per serving: 611 calories (53 percent from fat), 36 g fat (11 g sat. fat), 45 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 826 mg sodium, 66 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber.

TACOS WITH AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER RELISH

Serves: 4 (2 tacos each)

Prep: 20 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Chipotle chilies give the chicken a smoky, spicy kick that is cooled down by a crunchy avocado cucumber relish. These make for an easy weeknight meal. You can make the relish several hours ahead.

AVOCADO-CUCUMBER RELISH:

1 large ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

¼ cup seeded and finely chopped English cucumber

3 tablespoons finely diced red onion

1 large red radish, diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt to taste

TACOS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 tablespoons honey

2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced

2 green onions, finely sliced

3 cups coarsely shredded roasted chicken breast

Salt and pepper to taste

8 small corn tortillas

Cilantro leaves and lime slices for garnish

To make the relish: In a large mixing bowl, combine the avocado, cucumber, red onion and radish.

Add in the parsley and red wine vinegar, and slowly drizzle in the oil until combined. Season with salt to taste. Cover, pressing plastic wrap firmly on the relish and refrigerate until use.

To make tacos: Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat.

Add the oil and the onion to the pan; cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the peppers, honey and tomatoes.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture begins to thicken.

Add the green onions and chicken and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Heat the tortillas in a separate small saute pan over medium-high heat for about 15 seconds on each side to warm through; or warm in the microwave.

Divide and spoon the chicken mixture among the tortillas, top each taco with the avocado relish, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with lime slices.

Adapted from www.avocadocentral.com.

Per serving: 360 calories (38 percent from fat), 15 g fat (2.5 g sat. fat), 30 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 105 mg sodium, 60 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber.