Avocado Dip ♥ Recipe

Today's vegetable recipe: A Middle Eastern avocado dip, smoother than guacamole but otherwise similar. Very impressive appearance when served in the empty avocado shells - positively gorgeous, if I may say so myself! Low-carb and vegan.

So May 5th passed without the hoped-for, planned-for, considerably-anticipated Cinco de Mayo party, something about a calendar mix-up and a dining room with fresh paint but so far, no floor. Oops. But I couldn't get the shouts for 'Mexican food' 'MEXICAN FOOD' 'MEXICAN FOOD' out of my head and so, piecemeal, put together a menu's worth of dishes over the course of the week, including this gorgeous Avocado Dip.

Funny thing is, this avocado dip isn't Mexican at all, but Middle Eastern! It adds tahini (the sesame paste) and is mashed to a smooth dip rather than the loose chunks of Homemade Guacamole, say. I found it quite luscious and very pretty partied up in the empty avocado shells, a snap to do.

AVOCADO DIP

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 1 cup

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ripe avocados, preferably the Haas avocados which dark green, nubbly skins
3 tablespoons tahini
Juice from 2 lemons, about 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Pimento, for garnish

TOAST In a small skillet, toast the cumin until aromatic, then grind in a mortar and pestle (see TIPS) or a spice grinder.

MASH With a mortar and pestle or the tines of a fork, mash the garlic and salt until the garlic becomes soft and almost creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mash until quite smooth.

TO MAKE AHEAD Transfer the mixture to a glass storage container, tuck a pit into the center. Cover with plastic wrap that directly touches the surface, then the cover.

SERVE Scoop all the avocado out of the skins, trim the edges with scissors if needed or to make slightly more shallow. Wash and dry, then fill with the avocado dip. Top with pimento, if desired.


KITCHEN NOTES
I've only had a mortar and pestle for a year or two but am surprised how often I pull it out. It's quite small, however, so after mashing the garlic and salt, and the toasted cumin seeds, I mixed the dip in a mixing bowl just using the back of a wooden spoon. Worked like a charm!
HOW TO RIPEN AVOCADOS: Grocery-store avocados are often not yet ripe enough for eating. Put them into a paper bag and leave out on the counter until the skin depresses slightly with a gentle squeeze.
Word Dancing: Who knew that we spell the plural of avocado as -- avocados, no 'e' -- not avocadoes, with an 'e'. I've fixed the post but it's been like this forever!

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MORE AVOCADO RECIPES
~ Homemade Guacamole with Tomatillos ~
~ Spring & Summer Sliced Salad ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Tropical Salad Supper ~
~ Fruity Gazpacho ~
from Kitchen Parade

~ more avocado recipes ~
~ more dips & spreads ~
~ more Weight Watchers recipes ~
~ more low-carb recipes ~





Looking for healthy ways to cook vegetables? A Veggie Venture is home to hundreds of quick, easy and healthful vegetable recipes and the famous Alphabet of Vegetables. Healthy eaters will love the low carb recipes and the Weight Watchers recipes.
© Copyright 2009

Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. Such a nice variation on the usual avocado dip theme. Adding tahini would make this oh-so-velvety, and rich. I love how it looks served in avocado cups; with some toasted pita triangles, it would be a lovely presentation of an individual serving.

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  2. This looks like a real keeper! It's fun to see a new idea with avocados.

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  3. oh lovely idea adding tahini to the avocado! i can really imagine the two flavors together!

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  4. Thanks for a delicious sounding alternative to guac!

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  5. Wow, tahini with avocado is new! But I love both these flavours! I'm going to try it soon.

    Great recipe, Alanna :)

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  6. Yummy, any excuse to eat an avocado!

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  7. I learned the value of the mortar and pestle at school (I'm a culinary school student). We grind all our own spices and what an amazing difference it makes. Well worth the effort!

    (And love your avocado dip - so refreshing, especially with the tahini - what a genius touch!)

    Cheers.

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  8. That's fascinating - combining tahini with avocado, I mean. Bookmarked!

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  9. Is there a low-carb bread that is edible?. One that doesn't taste like cardboard?

    102Dish

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna