Avocado Salad
Avocado is
so creamy and delicious it can be used as a dressing in itself. You can mix
avocado with whatever looks good that day--shrimp, crab, smoked fish, or smoked
chicken--top it just with a few herb leaves, lots of pepper, a squeeze of lemon
juice, and eat it without any dressing. If you have to share it with others, by
all means serve it with these salad greens and a regular dressing.
6 very thin
slices prosciutto or bacon
1 tablespoon
olive oil
8 oz. salad
greens--a mixture of soft, crisp, and peppery
1-2 ripe Hass
avocados, cut in half and pits removed
Dressing
½ cup
extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon
cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1 garlic clove,
crushed
1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
sea salt and
freshly ground black pepper
If using
prosciutto, cut the slices into 3 to 4 pieces. Heat a skillet, brush with 1
tablespoon olive oil, add the prosciutto or bacon, and cook at medium heat,
without disturbing the pieces, until crisp on one side. Using tongs, turn the
slices over and sautŽ until crisp and papery but not too brown. Remove and
drain on paper towels.
To make the
dressing, put the oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a salad
bowl and beat with a fork or small whisk. When ready to serve, add the greens
and turn in the dressing, using your hands. Using a teaspoon, scoop out balls
of avocado into the salad. Toss gently if you like (although this will send the
avocado to the bottom of the bowl). Add the crisp prosciutto or bacon and serve
immediately.
*Note: To test
an avocado for ripeness, don't stick your thumb in it. Cradle it in the palm of
your hand and squeeze gently. If it just gives to the pressure, it's perfect.
Serves 4
From Easy Summer Cooking
Text © Julz Beresford, Maxine Clark,
Clare Ferguson, Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, Louise Pickford, Fran Warde, Lesley
Waters, and Ryland Peters & Small 2005