AVOCADO AND CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS
Makes 12-18
30ml oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
30ml grated ginger
15ml chopped garlic
2 baby cabbages, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 carrots, coarsely grated
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
60ml soy sauce
30ml oyster sauce
60ml chopped coriander
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
spring roll wrappers
1-2 avocados, peeled and sliced
lemon juice
salt and pepper
egg wash
oil for deep frying
plum sauce for dipping
Heat the oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic for a few minutes. Add the cabbage, red pepper, carrots and celery and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the soy and oyster sauces and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in coriander and chicken. Cool.
Work with one spring roll wrapper at a time. Place on the work surface with one of the corners pointing toward you. Brush the edges with egg wash and put a mound of filling in the corner about 5cm from the edge, top with a slice of avocado, sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Fold the point over to enclose the filling. Fold in the sides and roll up. Fry the spring rolls in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and serve with plum sauce.
AVOCADO, SALMON AND BROWN RICE SALAD
Serves 6
375ml brown rice, cooked
1 small cucumber, cut into ribbons with a potato peeler
1 bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced
60ml pickled ginger, chopped
3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
2 avocados, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
1 sheet of nori, toasted and broken into small pieces
200g smoked trout or salmon
DRESSING
100ml rice vinegar
10ml soy sauce
15-20 castor sugar
5ml sesame oil
5ml wasabi paste
Combine the rice, cucumber, spring onions, pickled ginger and radishes in a bowl and mix well. Add the avocados, seasoning and dressing and gently fold together.
Pile the salad into a serving dish and add the toasted nori and salmon roses which are made by winding folded salmon strips loosely around your finger.
DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
l Nori is the seaweed used in making sushi. It comes in square sheets.
To toast it, you carefully hold it over a heated stove plate, moving it around until it is crisp all over.
AVOCADO AND BARLEY SALAD
Serves 6
500ml pearl barley
30ml red wine vinegar
45ml lemon juice
50ml olive oil
5ml ground cumin
1 small red onion, finely sliced
125g asparagus spears, blanched
125g fresh peas, blanched
60ml chopped mint
1-2 avocados, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
125g feta cheese, crumbled
Cook the barley in plenty of salted water until tender. Drain and rinse well.
While this is boiling, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and cumin and mix well. Put the sliced onions into a small bowl and pour over the dressing.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
When the barley is cool, put it into a bowl and add the onions and dressing. Toss well to combine. Add the asparagus, peas, mint, avocados and seasoning and mix gently.
Put the salad into a serving dish and sprinkle over the feta.
AVOCADO CHICKEN PARMIGIANA
Serves 4
4 chicken breast fillets
60ml seasoned flour
2 eggs, beaten
625ml fresh white breadcrumbs
30g butter
30ml olive oil
250ml tomato pasta sauce
375ml grated mozzarella cheese
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
lemon juice
salt and pepper
Slice each breast in half lengthwise. Flatten by pounding thembetween two sheets of cling film with a rolling pin.
Dip the breasts in flour, then in egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken on both sides until golden. Drain on a paper towel.
Place the breast on a baking tray. Spoon some pasta sauce on to each breast.
Top each breast with grated cheese and place under a heated grill until melted and bubbling.
Put a few slices of avocado on top of each breast, sprinkle with lemon juice and season. Serve two portions a person.
GRILLED SALMON WITH AVOCADO SALSA
Serves 4
4 salmon steaks
30ml olive oil
salt and pepper
a good squeeze of lime or lemon juice
steamed green beans for serving
SALSA
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1-2 prickly pears, peeled and diced
60ml chopped coriander
40ml lemon juice
45ml olive oil
salt and pepper
Brush the steaks with olive oil and season well. Cook the steaks in a pan until done to your liking. Add the lime juice.
Remove from the pan and serve on a bed of green beans and topped with the salsa.
SALSA: Combine all the ingredients and toss to combine. - The Star