Struggling to get a reservation at your favourite avocado restaurant? Craving that decadent avo fix? Here’s how to re-create restaurant favourites at home.
Perfect for a quiet night in with Netflix or served as hot canapés before a dinner party here’s some alternative avocado ideas to wow your taste buds.
Avocado & Broccoli Crispy Cheesy Balls
This hot snack is perfect for cheese-lovers, coated in crispy breadcrumbs and deep fried to perfection. It almost feels like a naughty junk food fix but with two of your 5 a day!
Ingredients
1 avocado
1 head of broccoli
150g finely grated cheddar Ccheese
1 ball mozzarella (drained)
2 eggs
Seasoned flour
Panko breadcrumbs
Oil for frying (deep frying will give the best result)
Method
Chop the broccoli into small florets and blanch in boiling salted water for a few minutes. Remove the broccoli and refresh in cold water, drain and place in a mixing bowl.
Halve the avocado and remove the stone, scoop out the flesh and smash it - but not too finely, then add to the broccoli and put in the grated cheddar. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and add to the mix.
(Avo Co tip: If you’re serious about your cheese commitment level, you could crumble in a cheeky blue cheese too for a real kick).
Mix well with your hands and then shape into even-sized balls about 3-4cm in diameter. Think golf ball kind of size. Place on a plate and refrigerate for about 10 mins.
Take three bowls or plates for the breadcrumb process. Put the seasoned flour in one, the breadcrumbs in another and the eggs in another. Mix a little salt into the eggs and beat well.
Line up all 3 bowls / trays next to each other as well as an empty tray or plate at the end.
Now for the fun (but messy) part!
Take the cheesy balls out of the fridge and start the cheesy ball production line!
Step 1: roll in the seasoned flour
Step 2: coat with the beaten egg
Step 3: roll in the breadcrumbs
Repeat this process for each ball - flour, egg and breadcrumbs and place them on the empty tray at the end until you have made all your balls or filled the tray/plate.
You can put these back in the fridge to store for a few hours till your guests arrive but so they cook evenly, let them reach room temperature before you fry them!
To cook
Heat the oil (preferably in a deep fat fryer) to 180°C, and when hot, carefully put the cheesy balls in the oil and cook for about 7-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Again, being cautious of the hot fat, remove from the fryer and drain them on some paper towel. Serve them while they’re hot!
Our second alternative avo inspiration is a twist on a classic snack. Who doesn’t love fries (or chips as some people call them)? What if we showed you how to combine two of your favourite things to make avocado fries….
Avocado Fries
There’s only one addition you’ll have to make to this recipe and that’s to choose which sauce you fancy for a dunk.
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
2 eggs
Seasoned plain flour
30g finely-grated parmesan cheese
Panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Method
Cut the avocados in half and remove the stones, scoop out the flesh as a whole piece and cut each half into 3 even sized wedges (12 wedges)
Sprinkle the seasoned flour on a plate. Mix together the breadcrumbs & parmesan cheese and place on another plate. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add a little salt and beat well.
Remember the production line we made before? It’s time to set up a similar one for these bad boys….
Step 1: Place the avocado wedges gently into the flour and coat well
Step 2: Dip in the beaten eggs and make sure they’re completely covered
Step 3: place each wedge into the breadcrumb and parmesan mix and gently coat it in the mixture, making sure each one is completely coated.
(Avocado Co tip: If you like a really crispy chip – repeat the steps again on each chip to get some real crunch on every bite!)
Once you’ve coated the fries, Put them on a lightly-greased baking tray.
Drizzle or spray a little oil over the avocado fries, season with salt and pepper (you can also add garlic or onion powder, Cayenne pepper or hot smoked paprika if you want to spice it up a bit).
To cook
Place in the oven at 200°C for 10 minutes, remove and flip them over, drizzle a little more oil and place back in the oven for 8 minutes until brown and crisp. Remove and serve as a side with a dip of your choice!
This third recipe has been heavily requested on our Instagram page! So here it is, an avocado twist on a classic dip – introducing avocado hummus.
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
350g canned chickpeas
40g tahini
60ml lime juice
2 garlic cloves
50ml olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
Chilli powder or flakes
Salt & pepper
Coriander leaf, for garnish
Method
Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone and spoon out the flesh into a bowl. Combine the chickpeas, avocados and tahini into the bowl and mix together roughly with a large spoon. Then add the lime juice and olive oil.
Finely chop the garlic gloves and add them to the mixture and sprinkle in the cumin, mix together again roughly and then transfer the mixture into a bowl or container for a food processor and season with salt and pepper if required. Blend until smooth or to a consistency you’re happy with.
Here’s the fancy part- pour the mixture into a serving bowl or small dip dish and garnish with coriander and chilli flakes or powder if you like it hot. Drizzle with more olive oil over the top if desired and serve with crisps, sliced veggies or breadsticks. It’ll keep for a few days in the fridge if, by some VERY unusual circumstance, there’s any left over.
For more recipe inspiration or ideas, check out our Instagram page and whilst you’re there hit the follow button.
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