I have never thought of the avocado as a fruit. It’s not sweet. I think of it as one of those in between foods, like the artichoke. So there I was at Ciudad Restaurant for the Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, and I was being served a dessert of Avocado and Mango slices with a honey and lime sweetened Yogurt Sauce seasoned with salt and cayenne. The cayenne was so interesting with the sweet sauce. And along with it came a shooter of Avocado Liquado (think smoothie) with a Lavender Shortbread Cookie.
Mary Sue Milliken pours the Avocado Liquado
This was the perfect light dessert after being stuffed with an Avocado Taco, Avocado Bacon Salad and Avocado Chicken Chilaquiles. Plus the bowl of guacamole and chips we’d made during the “Guacamole Challenge,” which we snacked on while we watched the Too Hot Tamales cooking demo.
This event was sponsored by the California Avocado Commission and one of the fun things about it was the Goodie Bag we received. It was filled with avocado related stuff, like an avocado scoop/slicer, a little cutting board, three avocados, CAC refrigerator magnets, coupons to Ciudad/Border Grill and best of all, the book Cooking With the Too Hot Tamales by Mary Sue and Susan.
At the end of the event we each had our photos taken with Mary Sue and Susan and they signed our books. Mary Sue wrote, “Eat your Avocadoes! I loved your guacamole!”
The perfect ending to an amazing day.
Click to continue for printable recipes.
Avocado and Mango with Yogurt, Honey and Lime
Serves: 4
2 ripe California Avocados, chilled, halved, seeded and peeled
2 mangos, chilled, halved, seeded and peeled
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt to taste
¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt (Greek-style preferred)
2 large limes, juiced
3 tablespoons honey
4 mint sprigs, for garnish
1. Slice avocado and mango in halves lengthwise in ½-inch slices. Arrange the fruit on individual salad plates, alternating the avocado and mango slices. Mix equal parts cayenne pepper and salt and lightly sprinkle over fruit slices, to taste.
2. Whisk together yogurt, lime juice and honey in a small bowl. Just before serving, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing in a stripe over each salad. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve immediately.
Avocado and Orange Liquado with Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Avocado and Orange Liquado
Serves: 2
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup agave syrup
½ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups ice
1 ½ ripe avocados, seeded and peeled
1 cup whole milk
2 Lavender Shortbread Cookies
1. In a blender, add orange juice, lemon juice, agave syrup, orange zest, salt and ice; blend and combine thoroughly.
2. Add avocado and milk. Blend until smooth.
3. Taste and adjust with additional agave syrup, orange zest and salt, if needed.
4. Divide evenly among tall glasses. Serve immediately with one Lavender Shortbread Cookie per glass.
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Makes: 18 cookies
¼ cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon culinary lavender, slightly crushed and bruised
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
1. Cream together sugar, butter, lavender and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add salt and flour. Mix gently, just until dough comes together.
3. Form dough into an oval log (2-inches wide x ¾-inches tall). Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Remove dough from refrigerator and slice into ¼-inch thick ovals. Place slices on ungreased baking sheets.
6. Sprinkle top of each cookie with a small amount of coarse sugar.
7. Bake until the bottoms of the cookies just begin to turn golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on racks before serving.
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That was such a fun event! Your pictures turned out great, Lynne. The dessert wasn’t my favorite course, but on the whole it was a great day!
this sounds divine. And anyone who has a whole recipe section devoted to avocados is a-okay with me!