Our avocado obsession has us excited right down to the pip! Take advantage of avo season with these fresh & fabulous recipes!
Spring onion with avo crema
Serves 4
This pancake dough works best with as much rest as possible, so consider making the dough the night before, then rolling and frying off for breakfast in the morning.
Ingredients
For the dough
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup scalding water
½ cup cold water
Canola oil, for frying
For the filling
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
Salt and milled pepper
8 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cup peanut or canola oil
For the avo crema
2 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
⅓ sour cream
2 Tbsp lime juice
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, chopped
For serving
50g trout ribbons, smoked ham or bacon strips
4 poached or fried eggs
Chilli oil
Petite herbs or fresh greens
Method
- Combine flour and salt in a bowl.
- Add the hot water and stir to mix, then add the cold water.
- Mix properly to create a rough dough. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Knead the dough for another 2 minutes until smooth, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for optimal soft texture.
- Add filling ingredients (except the oil) to a heatproof bowl.
- Place oil in a small pot and heat until scalding. Carefully pour hot oil over filling ingredients, then mix to combine. The spring onions will sizzle and start releasing flavour.
- Divide dough into 8 equal portions (about 55g each).
- Cover the remaining dough portions and place one on a floured working surface.
- Using a rolling pin, work the dough into a rectangle as thin as you can without breaking the dough.
- Using a pastry brush or spatula, spread 1-2 Tbsp filling over the surface of the dough.
- Fold dough into a long coil by rolling both long sides inward towards each other, meeting them in the middle.
- Pinch the seam where they meet to seal.
- Coil the left end of dough towards the middle, doing the same with the right end of dough but rolling it upside down, creating two coils mirroring each other horizontally.
- Twist the bottom coil over the top and smash down with the palm of your hand.
- Repeat with remaining portions of dough to make 8 pancakes.
- Roll each pancake portion into a 12-15cm disk, add 1 Tbsp oil to a hot pan and fry one at a time for 4 minutes a side until golden and crispy.
- For the avocado crema, place ingredients into a jug and blitz with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Season.
- Serve spring onion pancakes topped with a lathering of avocado crema, followed by a ribbon of trout and cooked egg of choice. Drizzle with chilli oil and garnish with fresh herbs.
Cheesy BBQ Chicken quesadillas with guacamole
Serves 4 (as a side)
For extra spice, add 2 tsp of cayenne pepper to the BBQ sauce instead of paprika.
Ingredients
2 skinless chicken fillets
1 Tbsp paprika
Salt and milled pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
10g parsley, chopped
For the barbecue sauce
1 tsp canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp mustard powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup packed treacle sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup water
For the guacamole
3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
½ small red onion, finely diced
20g finely chopped coriander
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground cumin
To serve
1 pack (6) medium-sized white flour tortillas
1½ cup sriracha mayo
200g mature Cheddar
Method
- Season chicken fillets, drizzle with oil and fry in a hot pan for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked and golden. Remove and cool for 15 minutes.
- Use a fork to shred chicken into fine strands, place in a bowl and scatter over parsley.
- For the BBQ sauce, add oil to a pot over high heat. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute until golden.
- Add the spices and fry for another 30 seconds.
- 5. Place remaining ingredients into the pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add sauce to the shredded chicken and toss through.
- Add guacamole ingredients to a bowl and mash using a fork until chunky. Season.
- Place 1 tortilla on a work surface, lather on some sriracha mayo, then top with a portion of BBQ chicken.
- Sprinkle some Cheddar over the chicken, season, then place a second tortilla on top and press down to seal. Repeat to make 3 quesadillas.
- Turn the oven onto grill and cook two at a time until lightly charred and the cheese has melted.
- Slice quesadillas into triangles and serve with chunky guacamole.
Savoury avocado loaf
Makes 1 loaf
Soft and cheesy, this loaf is perfect as a side to a braai or meaty main.
Ingredients
For the avocado loaf
2 cups cake flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, whisked
¼ cup canola oil
2 ripe avocados, mashed until smooth
10g parsley, finely chopped
100g Cheddar
For the nutty topping
1 Tbsp each pumpkin- and sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts and almonds
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey + extra for brushing
1 sprig thyme, leaves picked
½ tsp smoked paprika
Method
- Grease and line a 20x12cm loaf tin.
- Sift together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until frothy, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk through the oil.
- Add the avocado and parsley and combine thoroughly.
- Pour the dry ingredients over the wet, along with the cheese, and fold through until no flour streaks remain.
- Pour batter into prepared tin, bake for 1 hour 10 minutes until risen and lightly golden.
- Place seeds and nuts into a pan over medium-low heat and toast until lightly golden and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients, stir to coat evenly then remove from the heat and decant into a bowl. The topping will form into little clusters.
- Remove loaf from the oven, brush all over with honey and gently press topping over the surface to secure.
- Slice and serve warm.
Avo lime tartlets
Makes 2
These tarts are tangy and oh so creamy! Omit the honey and simply use syrup for a vegan treat.
Ingredients
For the crust
½ block (125g) pitted dates, finely chopped
¼ cup boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
For the filling
4 avocados, chopped
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 6-7 limes)
⅓ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the coconut cream frosting
1 can (400ml) coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
¼ cup icing sugar
Lime slices, for serving
Honey, for serving
Method
- Combine dates and water in a bowl and set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
- Add dates and water to the bowl of a food processor along with the oats, coconut and coconut oil.
- Blitz until the mixture is combined. It should easily form a crust when pressed together with your fingers.
- Grease and line a 22x13cm tin with clingfilm, followed by baking paper.
- 5. Press base into the tin, bringing the mixture up the sides by 1cm. Refrigerate.
- Blitz filling ingredients with a stick blender until smooth.
- Spoon filling into tin and smooth over.
- Cover with clingfilm and freeze for 4 hours.
- Spoon the top layer of coconut cream from the tin and place into a cold metal bowl with the icing sugar.
- Whip for 1-2 minutes until stiff and fluffy.
- Remove tart from the tin and slice into 12 bars.
- Lather or pipe dollops of coconut cream frosting onto the bars and garnish with a lime slice and drizzle of honey.
Green scene pasta salad
Serves 6
This hearty pasta salad is perfect eaten cold or at room temperature.
Ingredients
For the roasted veggies
500g butternut
1 head broccoli
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
Salt and milled pepper
For the crispy croutons
¼ cup canola oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
¼ loaf day-old bread (about 2 cups), torn into small chunks
For the green scene dressing
2 large avocados
½ cup double cream yoghurt
20g parsley, chopped
10g dill, chopped
10g chives, chopped
10g mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and milled pepper
Water, for thinning (optional)
For serving
500g orecchiette or pasta of choice, cooked
Pickled red onion
1 disk feta, crumbled
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Cut butternut into small, even cubes and slice broccoli into small florets.
- Toss veggies with oil and cumin. Arrange on a baking tray, season and roast until soft and caramelised, about 30 minutes.
- For the croutons, mix together oil and spices. Drizzle over the bread and toss to coat evenly.
- 5. Arrange croutons on a tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Place dressing ingredients in a jug and blitz with a stick blender until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of water to thin the dressing if needed.
- Scoop cooked pasta into a serving bowl, pour over dressing and toss to coat.
- Top with the roasted vegetables, red onion and feta.
By: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine
