Avocado Salad Recipe
A few snapshots from Mexico City & an avocado salad - thinly sliced avocado arranged over simple lentils, drizzled with oregano oil, toasted hazelnuts, and chives.
Apparently, I didn't get my fill of avocados while in Mexico City. I particularly love the tiny, anise-kissed, Mexican ones you see in the markets there. I believe they're named criollo - thin-skinned, shiny, nearly black, they're particularly creamy, and I've yet to see them in the markets here in San Francisco. Not that I'm complaining, there are beautiful avocados here nearly year-round, but those petite guys win me over every time. I even eat the skins. This was the first thing I made after arriving home - thinly sliced avocado arranged over simple lentils, drizzled with oregano oil, toasted hazelnuts, and chives. A satisfying lunch to be sure. I'm going to include a few snapshots from the trip down below - a few of you have mentioned that you'd like a city guide, and I hope to share that (along with some new items) in the shop, in the near future...it's in the works. But, the long and short of it all is...If you have a chance visit Mexico City - do it. It's such an expansive, amazing place. Closer than New York for me, just a four hour flight from SFO. I've been twice now, and I always come home incredibly inspired by the ingredients, design, architecture, and warmth and generosity of the Mexican people.
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Avocado Salad
I used lentilles du Puy here, but any lentils that hold their shape will work - Umbrian lentils or black lentils would be good alternatives.
2 teaspoons fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups cooked lentils
1-2 ripe avocados, quartered
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 cup minced chives
Smash the oregano and salt into a paste in a mortar and pestle. Gradually work in the olive oil, and then the lemon juice.
Toss the lentils with 2 tablespoons of the oregano oil, taste, and season if needed. Arrange on a platter or in a bowl. Just before serving, cut the avocado into quarters, then slice quite thinly, and arrange on top of the lentils. Drizzle with a bit more of the oil, and sprinkle with the hazelnuts, and chives. A final drizzle of oil might be needed, and perhaps a bit more lemon juice. Enjoy!
Serves 4.
Prep time: 5 minutes
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Comments
That salad looks wonderful. You are lucky that you got to go to Mexico City. It's impossible to convince my husband to go.
I have been going through avocado withdrawal as I didn't have any on vacation (go figure, a lack of avocados in Alaska). This looks like a good way to reintroduce them back into my diet!
Delicious as usual! I enjoy reading about your travels as well.
El DF--such character in that city. My husband & I spent a week wandering under the jacarandas, visiting the markets & eating street food last spring. While the avocados were indeed wonderful (& I'll be having your recipe for lunch tomorrow), it was the mangoes that I can't forget. Divine.
Thank you for the photos and salad recipe BUT I heard that Mexico City is very dangerous for tourists.
Love the recipe and the photos! I am in Mexico City now and have found these guides to be helpful, until you publish yours! : ) Jim Johnston's blog on Mexico City, http://mexicocitydf.blogspot.mx/ And Nicolas Gilman's on Good Food in MC, http://goodfoodmexicocity.blogspot.mx/
Beautiful presentation! This is one of my favorite types of meals... I love tangy, lemony lentil salads. And paired with avocado? So filling, delicious, and practically decadent. Lovely recipe.
I love Mexico. the flavors, the colors, the people. So much to offer. However, I am really trying to figure out what avocados you eat the skin on. In Colorado, I haven't seen any I'd attempt. But maybe we aren't getting the same? Love this combo of flavors with the oregano oil. I recently did an oregano pesto that would be perfect for this!
This salad sounds so good! Definitely an excellent use of the bags of little avocados I can't seem to stop buying & stashing away in the fridge. :)
I just got home from a looooong day of middle school drama (teachers and students- I'm the guidance counselor) and Cross Country practice, saw your recipe post, and realized two things- I have every single ingredient and am so inspired to make yet another recipe by you (I think I've tried almost everything)! Best feeling! I love what you do! Thanks Heidi!
Simply beautiful!
This is a lovely dish, but I have to find out how you're getting to Mexico City in an hour from SFO when it takes over three hours from LAX? If I don't say anything, it'll bug me all day ; )
One more vote for a favorites of Mexico City post ! I just booked my flight this morning for a trip in November. Excited to experience the food, art, and chaotic allure of DF myself!
I, too, love avocados and am printing this recipe out to make it this week ... as soon as I can buy some avocados and they ripen enough to use (I'm in Canada)! I'm always looking for new ways to use lentils and I can tell that this recipe is a winner! Thank you sooooo much.
In East Kentucky, it's difficult to find avocados, but next city trip I'm going to get some and try this. Great combination and simple technique make it a go-to summer lunch. Thanks!
I saw these avocados recently in the Mission district in SF! I had never seen tiny avocados before, and I was taken by how adorable they are.
HS: Oh REALLY!? Thanks for the heads up Michelle - I'll keep my eyes peeled!
Glad to read that you like Mexico City. It is my hometown, but sometimes people talk more about the negative things than the positive and good things of DF. Your recipe looks amazing! And you are completely right, the aguacate criollo has better texture, better flavor and higher oil content compare to the Hass variety. But because their skin is really thin it is difficult to export them.
I could eat an avocado everyday! This looks delicious! Thank you for your beautiful posts and delicious recipes!
Please do put a city guide together, if you can! Mexico is near the top of our "to visit" list and it would be lovely to see your take on it.
You sliced the avocado so thinly! Love it.
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