Tag: avocado

Caesar Cleopatra

This is a light and lemony caesar dressing with anchovy. Perfect for summer!

2 romain lettuce hearts or 1 romaine lettuce head
1 egg yolk
2-3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
juice of half a smallish lemon
few drops Worcestershire sauce
3 tbs. finely grated Parmesan cheese
half and avocado, spooned into curls
1 cold, cooked chicken breast, cut into fat strips (optional)

Wash the lettuce and tear into large chunks, then scatter on plate. Whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in enough olive oil to make a dressing. Add the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Toss this with the lettuce, sprinkle with 2 tbs. of the Parmesan, then toss again.

Arrange the chicken (if using) a top the lettuce, scatter over the avocado and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Give it all a good grinding of black pepper and serve.

Serves 1

Mexican Lasagna with Avocado Salsa

Add chicken to the filling for a heartier meal.

For the sauce:

1 tbs. garlic flavored olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green chilis, chopped with seeds
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbs. finely chopped cilantro stalks
2 x 14oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 tbs. ketchup

For the filling:

2 x 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 x 15 oz. can corn, drained
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
8 10″ soft, flour tortillas

For the avocado salsa:

2 avocados, halved and cut into 1/4″ cubes
1 scallion, thinly sliced
3 tbs. chopped green jalapenos
salt, to taste
1 tbs. lime juice
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

Heat the oven to 400°F. slipping in a baking sheets at the same time.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions, peppers, chilis and salt. Cook gently for 15 minutes and, once soft, add the cilantro stalks. Stir in the tomatoes, then rinse out one can with water and add this too. Add the ketchup and let everything simmer while you make the filling.

Mix the beans, corn and most of the cheese together in a bowl.

Start to assemble by spooning about one third of the sauce in an round, ovenproof dish and smearing it about, then layer on 2 tortillas so that they cover the sauce overlapping slightly, like a Venn diagram. Add a third of the bean mixture, then about a quarter of the remaining sauce and 2 more tortillas. Repeat.

Finally, add the last layer of beans, nearly all the remaining sauce and the last 2 tortillas. Spread the last bit of sauce on top and sprinkle with the reserved cheese.

Place on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing it like a pizza. Serve with the avocado salsa.

For the salsa, stir together all the ingredients and check the seasoning.

Serves 8

Salmon, Avocado, Watercress and Pumpkin Seed Salad

This lovely salad is truly a treat. The salmon is poached into a silky, coral texture and combined with creamy avocados and crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds. Served warm or chilled, this will be a new favorite.

2 salmon fillets
2 scallions, torn in half
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
3 tbs. pumpkin seeds
4 oz. watercress
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 small, ripe avocado, scooped out into curls
1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Put the salmon in a small frying pan and cover with cold water. Add the scallions, peppercorns, lime juice and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the salmon over, cover the pan  and leave to sit for 7-10 minutes, until the salmon is done. (This depends on the thickness of the salmon.) Take the salmon out of the pan and leave to cool for a few minutes or chill to use later.

Tip the pumpkin seeds in a small, dry skillet and toast them on the stove over a medium heat until they start to snap. Take off the heat and leave until needed.

To serve, arrange the watercress on a large plate, sprinkle with the vinegar and toss. Break up the salmon into pieces and place on top. Add the avocado curls, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and drizzle with the olive oil. Check seasoning and add sea salt, if needed.

Serves 2