We use an entire avocado to make our burger—one of our most popular menu items. Use the better-looking avocado half as the top “bun.” To make the bottom “bun” more stable when plated, just cut a thin slice from the rounded side so it sits flat. We recommend tackling this with a fork and knife, but if you’re feeling brave, go at it with your hands, and don’t forget to take plenty of pictures to showcase your avo-eating skills on Insta.
— Alessandro Biggi, Francesco Brachetti and Alberto Gramigni
Excerpted from AVOCADERIA: AVOCADO RECIPES FOR A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER LIFE © 2018 Alessandro Biggi, Francesco Brachetti and Alberto Gramigni. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Photography © Henry Hargreaves.
- 2 avocados pitted and peeled
- 1/4 cup Yogurt & Fresh Herbs Dressing, recipe follows
- 1 cup looslely packed arugula, plus more for serving
- 3 ounces smoked salmon
- A few thin slices watermelon radish (or other radish)
- 2 tablespoons Lime Citronette Dressing, recipe follows
- olive oil for drizzling
- Black sesame seeds, for sprinkling
- Place an avocado half, cut-side up, on each of two serving plates and fill the cavity in each with the yogurt dressing. Top with the arugula, salmon, and radish. Drizzle with the citronette dressing and top with the remaining avocado halves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Yogurt & Fresh Herbs Dressing: We use this simple, rich yogurt mixture as a spread or dressing on our salads and in soups and main dishes. If you want a more salad dressing–like consistency, just add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. For a tzatziki-style flavor, stir in some grated cucumbers and garlic.
Makes About 1-1/2 Cups
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
2-1/2 tablespoons infused olive oil from Olive Oil & Herb Dressing
2 teaspoons salt
In a bowl, combine the yogurt, dressing, salt, and 1/4 cup water and whisk until combined. Store in a resealable container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Olive Oil & Herb Dressing: Infusing warm olive oil with herbs is easy and is a great flavor booster. We use it in our Yogurt & Fresh Herbs Dressing, and it’s perfect as a replacement for plain olive oil in most recipes, like roasted vegetables and meats.
Makes 1-1/3 Cups
2 cups olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Remove from the heat and submerge the mint, thyme, and rosemary in the oil; let cool to room temperature. Using an immersion blender, blend the oil and herbs for 15 to 20 seconds, then strain out the herbs and store the infused oil in a resealable container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Lime Citronette Dressing
Makes about 1-1/2 cups
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 10 limes)
1 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup olive oil
In a blender, combine the lime juice, salt, xanthan gum if using, and 1/4 cup water and blend on high speed until combined, about 20 seconds. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil until combined, about 20 seconds. Store the dressing in resealable containers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
