The strangest thing happened at the market the other day: I found perfectly ripe avocados! Lots of them! And they weren’t bruised or overripe.
Purchasing avocados can be a dicey proposition at best. I typically plan my shopping so that I purchase avocados 4 days before I need them. I buy them obviously under-ripe and leave them on my counter at home to gently ripen. Too often, “ripe” avocados at the market are mushy from other shoppers pressing them to test for ripeness. After several days of this, the avocados aren’t so much ripe as they are bruised. With guests coming for cocktails that night, I instantly filled my basket with 3 of them to make guacamole.
This was an unexpected addition to my Italian themed menu. With that in mind, I made the guacamole with a European accent… seasoning with basil and lemon instead of the typical cilantro and lime. For texture and a nuanced flavor, I added finely diced celery and scallions.
3 avocadoes
3 tbs. finely diced celery
¼ cup chopped basil
3 scallions, cut into rounds
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 large tomato, diced
Salt and pepper to taste