How
to pick an Avacado
Like most fruits, avocados do not ripen until picked, so
fresh ones will be as hard as rocks. Look for an even unblemished
texture, uniformly hard or soft over its entire surface
and those that feel heavy for their size. Avoid any with
bruises or soft spots, and those with a hollow between the
flesh and skin. Shake the avocado to test...if the pit is
loose, move on to the next one. The flesh of ripe fruits
will yield when pressed gently. However, ripe fruits bruise
easily with excessive handling in the markets, so it's best
to ripen your own at home. Of course, this means proper
planning, giving yourself 2-5 days in advance to insure
they are ripe for your use.
To
ripen,
place the avocado(s) in a brown paper bag and store at
room temperature for 2-5 days, away from direct sunlight.
The addition of an apple or banana to the bag will hasten
the ripening process. Do not store unripened fruit in
the refrigerator. After being chilled, they will never
ripen properly. Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator,
unpeeled, for up to two weeks.
To
prevent Darkening
The flesh of the avocado quickly begins to darken when
exposed to the air, so it's important to work quickly
with the meat once the avocado is cut. The addition of
an acidic, usually lemon, retards the darkening process.
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Our Favorite Green Chili Guacamole
Click
here to print recipe
- Yields
2 cups
- 2
medium very ripe avocados, seeded, peeled and mashed
- 1/2
cup diced green chiles
- 1/3
cup (2 large) chopped green onions
- 2
tbsp Canola Harvest oil
- 1
tsp lime juice
- 1
clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4
tsp salt
- Combine
avocados, chiles, green onions, Canola Harvest oil,
lime juice, garlic and salt in medium bowl.
- Cover;
refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Serve
with tortilla chips
It's
true that avocados do have a high fat content, but it
is monounsaturated fat, which some studies show
to actually help reduce cholesterol. The avocado is also
low in calories.)
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