Sarasota Soundings

Our favorite winter breakfast has long been avocado on toast. Years ago, each December, our Floridian grandparents would send us (via Railroad Express!) avocados from their back yard. It became a family tradition to enjoy some on Christmas morning.

This year the Florida avocado crop is especially bountiful, so we’ve been playing around with variations on guacamole.

So far, this is our favorite. But because we have a lot more prep work to do for tonight’s Italian feasting, we’ll spare you our usual lessons in botany and Mediterranean mythology and just give you our very quick and simple recipe for holiday guacamole. We think one picture is worth a thousand words.

Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds on Toast
Copyright © 2012, Skip Lombardi

Our recipe may be scaled up, but keeps its color best when made in quantities that will be consumed within 48 hours. The measures below are for one large Florida avocado.Choose one that weighs (with pit and peel)anywhere from 12 to 18 ounces.

Ingredients:
1 large, ripe Florida avocado

For EACH Avocado…

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange rind
Juice from 1/2 a small tart orange
1 Tablespoon ordinary white vinegar

1 very small FRESH garlic clove, minced (@ 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger-root
A little minced fresh green chili (@ 1/4 teaspoon)
A few sprigs of snipped FRESH dill (@ 1 teaspoon)

Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Dill sprigs and fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Preparation:

Grate the orange rind, then juice the orange half into a non-reactive 1-quart bowl. Add the grated rind.

Add the vinegar and all the seasonings except the salt, pepper, and garnishes.

Peel the avocado and add all the pulp to the bowl. Mash it with a fork, leaving a few chunks. Stir to combine with the seasonings. Add a little salt & pepper to taste. The flavors will continue to develop so it’s better to under-salt and taste again just before serving.

It’s ready to enjoy now, but will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 days. We like to serve ours on lightly toasted semolina-sesame bread from the Bavarian Bakery, but the avocado mixture is delicious on crackers,tortillas, or chips.

Garnish with fresh dill and pomegranate seeds, whose slight acidity is a lovely complement to the unctuous avocado.

Happy Holidays!