Avocado
The avocado is a creamy fruit with a mild, subtly nutty flavour. It’s popular in dips, salads, bowls and on toast, and it also works well in sauces and even desserts.
Latin name: Persea americana
Origin: Central America (originally), now cultivated worldwide
Description
Avocados grow on trees in the laurel family. The fruit usually has a dark green skin and a soft, buttery flesh with a large stone. Well-known varieties include Hass (smaller, pebbly skin) and Fuerte (smoother skin, often slightly larger).
In the kitchen
The flavour is mild and lightly nutty, with a rich, creamy texture. Avocado pairs well with lime or lemon, tomato, coriander, chilli, garlic, olive oil, eggs, smoked fish and poultry. Mash it for guacamole, slice it for toast, add it to salads, or blend it into a creamy dressing. To reduce browning, add citrus juice and cover the surface tightly.
Storage & preparation
Avocados usually ripen after harvest. Keep unripe fruit at room temperature; once ripe, store in the fridge for 1–2 days. To speed ripening, place the avocado next to a banana or apple. Cut just before serving: slice around the stone, twist to separate, remove the stone, then scoop out the flesh or slice it while still in the skin. Store any cut avocado airtight with a little lemon or lime juice; replacing the stone can help, but limiting air contact matters most.
