Autumn arrived suddenly. Temperatures have dropped by several degrees but, the good news, is that Sicilian avocados are ready to be harvested, the order season has begun!
In fact, November and December are the best months for avocado consumption, and here in Giarre, the fruits are at your disposal for new autumn recipes inspired by this precious food.
Tip: the article is long because some preparations need to be explained step by step for a good result, but you can choose your dish by scrolling through the titles and going directly to the recipe.
Avocado recipes for autumn
Seasonality is very important for nutrition: in summer we need very "juicy" foods while in other seasons the needs change. According to macrobiotics, the transition from summer to autumn corresponds to the energy of the earth; it is the moment when we start to use more "yang" cooking methods (like the oven) and cooked foods.
Moreover, the arrival of cold weather prompts us to bring warmth within ourselves, to restore balance, and so, here is a complete, comforting, and autumnal avocado-based menu for this season.
Avocado appetizers
Ideal for opening a dinner, but also as snacks or light lunches.
Autumn salad with blood orange
An easy and quick preparation (it will take you about 20 minutes to prepare), which requires few ingredients, as long as they are very fresh and preferably organic. You just need to combine all the ingredients and season to taste.
Ingredients for 4 people: 200 gr of your favorite salad, 2 blood oranges, seeds of a whole pomegranate, 1 handful of soy sprouts, extra virgin olive oil to taste, salt and sunflower seeds.
For a more gourmet version, you can add a few walnut kernels and cubes of Primo Sale cheese.
Tasty & chic cocktail
A classic but timeless proposal, which will also make a good impression from a scenic point of view.
Ingredients for 2 people: 1 whole avocado, 200 gr of boiled shrimp, vegan cocktail sauce.
Cut the avocado in half, remove the central seed, and scoop out "balls" from the avocado pulp (there are specific tools for this). Keep the outer skin of the two halves, which will be empty after this operation.
Separately, boil the shrimp, drain them, and once cooled, remove the heads, carapace, and intestine. At this point, combine the pulp balls with the shrimp and sauce, mix, and pour the mixture into the two halves you set aside.
How to prepare vegan cocktail sauce: blend 160 gr of vegetable milk, 80 gr of organic deodorized sunflower oil, and 20 gr of lemon for a few seconds. Finally, add a dusting of sweet paprika until you obtain a color similar to classic cocktail sauce.
First course with avocado
Pumpkin and bean soup with avocado
A vegetarian dish suitable for the whole family that you will prepare in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients for 2 people: 400 gr of cleaned pumpkin, a small piece of fresh ginger, chili pepper to taste (if you like it), 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 500 ml of vegetable broth, 60 gr of fresh borlotti beans (previously boiled), about 2 tablespoons of sour cream (or even cooking cream), 50 gr of nachos, 1 medium-sized avocado.
Sauté two-thirds of the diced pumpkin with chopped ginger and chili pepper in oil. After a few minutes, add the broth and cook for fifteen minutes. Turn off the heat when the pumpkin is soft and blend everything into a cream with an immersion blender, adjusting the salt if necessary.
In another pot, brown the remaining pumpkin in oil until crispy slices are obtained, and add them along with the beans to the obtained cream. Cut the avocado and extract the pulp, which you will also add. To finish your delicious autumn soup, combine the cream and serve with nachos.
Second courses with avocado for autumn
Avocado burger
Remembering that avocado goes well with both meat and fish as a simple sauce (just blend the pulp and add a little salt), we offer you a dish that will truly surprise you.
Ingredients for 4 people: 100 grams of avocado, 60 grams of chickpea flour, 100 grams of carrots, and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
Mash the avocado pulp, grate the carrots and combine all the ingredients. After mixing them well, form 4 balls, flatten them, and cook them slowly in a little oil.
Flip them every 3 minutes until desired golden brown. At this point, for the more adventurous, you can add a round bun with cream cheese or mayonnaise to recreate a real fast food burger.
Mexican Quesadillas
Here is a unique, ethnic dish, ideal for relaxing Sundays.
Quesadilla is a very tasty and energetic Mexican appetizer, which might work well as a main course or as a second course after a creative appetizer salad.
It is a tortilla filled with vegetables and cheese. Here is the version with avocado:
Ingredients for 4 people: 4 tortillas, 50 gr organic spinach, 70 gr goat cheese, 1 medium avocado, 1 red onion, 2 small zucchini, 1/2 smoked provola cheese and if you like, fresh cilantro.
Preparation: use a large-hole grater to make "shavings" of zucchini. In a mixer, blend the spinach and cheese together. Slice the onion into strips, chop the smoked provola cheese with a knife, and dice the tomato, removing the seeds.
Cut the avocado pulp into small pieces.
Now mix the onion, tomato, avocado, and zucchini (if you like, this is the time to add some cilantro). Spread the spinach cream and cheese on two tortillas, and then add the mixture of the other vegetables. At this point, cover them with two more tortillas, garnish with the chopped mozzarella, and bake, using the grill.
As soon as the mozzarella has melted, remove from the oven and cut each tortilla into four wedges.
Autumn dessert with avocado
Avocado and chestnut cake pastry with dried fruit
How about an avocado and chestnut cake pastry with dried fruit? Taste, energy, and elegance in a unique dessert!
However, if you are not very experienced in the kitchen, we do not recommend this preparation due to its high difficulty. But if you are skilled in the kitchen, then the result will be truly fantastic and will leave your guests speechless.
Ingredients for chestnut cake: 300 gr chestnut flour, 450 ml water, 40 gr pine nuts and 50 walnut kernels, 25 gr raisins soaked in water and dried, rosemary to taste, extra virgin olive oil to taste and salt.
Ingredients for puff pastry: 2 avocados
To decorate: 200 gr raspberries, 30 gr icing sugar and 4 mint leaves.
Blend the raspberries with the icing sugar and strain the mixture through a sieve.
Then, separately, coarsely chop the pine nuts, along with the walnuts and raisins.
Pour the flour and water into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, the fruit, and rosemary. After mixing everything, place it in a 20x30 cm mold, after oiling it appropriately. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 160 degrees.
Once cooked, clean the avocado and cut it into 1 cm thick slices. Then, using a pastry cutter, cut out discs from the pulp of the slices and also from the chestnut cake (before proceeding with this operation, you must wait for it to cool down).
Now for the grand finale: layer the discs alternating avocado and chestnut cake and finally garnish with raspberry sauce and mint.