-related42M results on Google* number143,000 of times Ambitious Kitchen’s *All stats as of Dec. 2018. -basil pesto recipe has been Whether on a swimsuit saved on Pinterest sported by Chrissy Teigen, “YOLO is the motto on any and every restaurant when we eatin’ avocado” menu or dominating your One of 96 avocado social media feeds, there’s no GIFs you can choose from when posting an escaping this formerly humble Story fruit. So what catapulted it to superstardom?

pounds7.75 of the average American consumed last year— compared to 1 pound in 1990!

he ’s beauty has never and longer harvest season, started a mar- been skin-deep. In fact, its bumpy keting campaign to entice the public to try black skin was initially a turnoff: the them. Sadly Rudolph Hass never reaped the times29.6M Well Done’s video Fuerte, which has smooth, green skin, rewards. “By the time Hass avocados became for Avocado Pickles has used to be the most sought-­after variety. popular in the 1970s, the patent had run its been viewed on Facebook Then in 1926, a postman named Rudolph course,” says Tom Bellamore, president of the Hass planted a few Guatemalan avocado California Avocado Commission. Now, Hass seedlings in his rural Los Angeles County make up the vast majority (95 percent) of 8.9 million backyard, planning to graft the Fuerte onto avocados grown in California, which in turn #avocado posts them. But the grafts didn’t take, so he ignored grows 90 percent of U.S. avocados. “If the on Instagram the trees—until years later his kids told him Hass had immediately reached the scale it’s at how great the avocados on the branches today, Rudolph Hass would have been a very over 64 million tasted. In 1935, he patented the Hass avocado, rich man,” Bellamore adds. Get recipes, tips avocado-recipe boards and growers, who favored its hardier skin and more inspiration on the pages that follow. on Pinterest

By Juno DeMelo • Recipes by Gaby Dalkin • Photography by Leigh Beisch

86 EATINGWELL March 2019 March 2019 EATINGWELL 87 AWESOME AVOCADO EATS IN CALIFORNIA AND SO THEY GROW We asked a four Golden State food pros for their top picks—here’s what they said: Most of the avocados in California are grown near the coast from San Avocado Guacamole McCarthy Salad Avocado Tacos Diego to Monterey. Hass avocado Bartavelle, Berkeley La Cabaña, Los Angeles The Polo Lounge, Beverly Hills Loló, San Francisco “Chef-owner Suzanne Drexhage “The guacamole is fantastic, “This Beverly Hills Hotel restau- “Tacos are the ultimate vehicle trees bloom in the spring, setting uses only the best, most delicious, partly because they make it rant has been serving their Mc- for consuming avocados because the fruit that will be harvested the #avocadoburger perfectly ripe avocados from in front of you, partly because Carthy salad—which is a Cobb they let the filling shine. At Loló, Click on this Instagram following spring and summer. Mature Brokaw Ranch in Watsonville. She there’s a good chance there salad but with beets and Ched- the avocados are coated in panko hashtag and you’ll see fruits can stay on the tree for up works in a little lemon juice, good will be a mariachi band playing dar instead of blue cheese—since and fried until they’re crispy, then hundreds of pics of to a year (avocados don’t ripen till olive oil, fine Celtic sea salt and on the roof while that happens, the 1940s. It’s named after a polo slathered with aioli and wrapped hamburgers made with Turkish marash pepper. It’s what and partly because you’ve prob- player who was a frequent guest in a flour tortilla with melty picked!), but most are harvested green “buns” that are I’d make for myself every morning ably already finished off one at the hotel. All the colorful com- cheese and pickled red onions, actually avocado halves March through September. if I weren’t so lazy.” pitcher of margaritas by ponents are plated separately, which add a brininess that cuts sprinkled with sesame seeds the time you dig in.” then mixed for you tableside.” through the richness of it all.” ● Samin Nosrat, chef and author of Salt, Fat, Acid, ● Jess Basser Sanders, ● Kylie Mazon-Chambers, ● Omar Mamoon, food writer Heat and star of the LA managing editor, The blogger, Cooking with and cookie-dough ­purveyor, adaptation of the same name Infatuation restaurant guide Cocktail Rings Dough XX

up to 200 avocados one 5-Minute California avocado 5 lbs., 8 oz. tree can produce in Avocado weight of the heaviest one year Eats avocado ever recorded NUTRITION INFO ON PAGE TK JUST HOW HEALTHY ARE AVOCADOS? Like most fruits, avocados deliver essential nutrients, in- cluding fiber (a serving—about one-third of an avocado—con- tains 3 grams), as well as anti- oxidants like vitamins C and E percent90 of U.S. and lutein. Researchers recently avocados grown linked avocado consumption in California with improved cognition, citing 7 12 to 18 varieties of avocado the fruit’s lutein content, and the number of grown commercially in noted that the brain-bolster- months it takes to California ing antioxidant is particularly grow a California well-absorbed from avocado avocado (thank you, monounsaturated fats!). These healthy fats can also help boost your body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, K, E and D, in other foods and lower your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. over 5 “Avocados also deliver about million 250 milligrams of potassium avocado trees [per serving], which most of in California Goat Cheese & Chive Guacamole Avocado Toast with Burrata Really Green Smoothie us don’t get enough of,” says Serve this tangy version with tortilla chips and Cream-filled burrata cheese is a decadent top- Chia seeds lend this creamy smoothie a heart- Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., the crunchy vegetables like kohlrabi and carrots. ping for avocado toast. healthy punch of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label Mash 3 large ripe avocados, 2 Tbsp. lemon Mash 1/2 large ripe avocado, 1 tsp. lemon juice Combine 1 large ripe banana, 1 cup packed to Table. “They’re real multi- juice and 1/3 cup thinly sliced chives with a and 1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper with a fork baby kale (or coarsely chopped mature kale), taskers from a health and flavor fork in a medium bowl until half the mixture in a small bowl. Spread on 1 thick slice whole- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/4 ripe standpoint, because they work is smooth and the rest is chunky. Add 1/4 cup grain toast and top with 11/2 oz. burrata (or avocado, 1 Tbsp. chia seeds and 2 tsp. honey in sandwiches and salad, but crumbled goat cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. mozzarella), 1 tsp. each sliced basil and minced in a blender. Blend on high until creamy and also in baked goods to replace pepper and stir gently to combine. chives and a pinch of Aleppo pepper. smooth. Add 1 cup ice and blend until smooth. saturated fats.” GLENN JENKINS (PROPS) CANEER (FOOD), EMILY STYLING: SERVES 10: 3 Tbsp. each SERVES 1: 1 toast SERVES 1: 21/3 cups

88 EATINGWELL March 2019 March 2019 EATINGWELL 89 16,053 number of times Executive Chef 2,722,893 Watermelon Radish & David J. Alvarez’s video on how the number of times Avocado Summer Rolls to fan an avocado has been viewed on YouTube the “It’s an Avocado!” ACTIVE: 1 hr TOTAL: 1 hr video of a child The first thing you layer on the rice paper will opening a wrapped be what shows through on the finished roll, so avocado has been vary what you start with. Consider these fillings viewed on YouTube. Yep. a starting point—papaya, snap peas and shrimp are all good alternatives. SAUCE 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce 2 teaspoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil SUMMER ROLLS 12 rice paper wrappers 3 ounces thin rice noodles, prepared according to package directions 2 Persian (mini) cucumbers, thinly sliced 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced 1 medium ripe mango, thinly sliced 2 scallions, thinly sliced Inside-Out California Rolls with 11/2 cups fresh mint leaves Mango & Spicy Mayo 11/2 cups fresh basil leaves ACTIVE: 40 min TOTAL: 1 hr 10 min 2 medium ripe avocados, halved EQUIPMENT: Bamboo sushi mat and sliced into 12 pieces each Making these rolls with the rice on the outside 4 large leaves butter lettuce, takes a little extra dexterity but the eye-catching torn into 3 pieces each sushi-bar results make it worth it. RICE 1. To prepare sauce: Whisk hoisin, peanut 11/3 cups black rice, rinsed butter, water, tamari (or soy sauce), vinegar, 22/3 cups water chili-garlic sauce and oil in a small bowl. Set 2 tablespoons rice vinegar aside. 1 tablespoon sugar 2. To prepare rolls: Soak one wrapper at a 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt time in a shallow dish of very hot water until ROLLS softened, about 10 seconds. Lift out, let excess 4 sheets nori water drip off and lay on a clean, dry cutting 4 teaspoons sesame seeds board. 1 Persian (mini) cucumber, sliced 3. Layer 2 tablespoons rice noodles, a few 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese lengthwise into 8 pieces slices each cucumber, radish and mango, 1 tea- California Cobb Salad with 10 strawberries, quartered 1/2 ripe mango, sliced lengthwise spoon scallions, 2 tablespoons each mint and Herb-Rubbed Chicken into 8 pieces basil, 2 avocado slices and 1 piece of lettuce ACTIVE: 35 min TOTAL: 45 min 1. Preheat grill to medium-high. 3/4 medium ripe avocado, sliced on the bottom third of the wrapper. Fold the The Cobb salad is said to have originated at the 2. To prepare chicken: Combine 1 tablespoon 1 cup lump crabmeat, drained wrapper over the filling and roll into a tight Brown Derby in Hollywood in the 1930s. Kale, oil, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, rosemary, 1/3 cup Sriracha or wasabi mayonnaise cylinder, folding in the sides as you go. Repeat feta and strawberries give it a new-century feel. 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a with the remaining wrappers and fillings. Cut CHICKEN small bowl. Rub the mixture over chicken. 1. To prepare rice: Combine rice and water in a each finished roll in half, if desired. Serve with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3. Oil the grill rack. Grill the chicken until an in- medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat the sauce. 1 teaspoon garlic powder stant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the SERVES 12: 1 roll & 1 Tbsp. sauce each 1 teaspoon dried thyme part registers 160°F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 30 to CAL 220 / FAT 8G (SAT 1G) / CHOL 0MG / CARBS 32G / 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, TOTAL SUGARS 7G (ADDED 1G) / PROTEIN 5G / and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice. FIBER 5G / SODIUM 181MG / POTASSIUM 343MG. 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary covered, for 10 minutes. 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 4. Meanwhile, to prepare vinaigrette: Whisk 2. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High until glossy side of the nori. Use the mat to tuck and 2 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken small bowl. the sugar and salt dissolve, about 30 seconds. roll the nori tightly, wetting the last inch of the Arrange kale, avocado, A Model Avocado breasts, trimmed 5. To assemble salad: Add the mixture to the rice and fluff with a nori to seal the roll. Then use the mat to gently VINAIGRETTE eggs, bacon, feta, strawberries and the chicken fork. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking press and shape the roll. Repeat with the re- Supermodel, cookbook 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil on a large platter. Serve with the vinaigrette. sheet and let stand until cool enough to handle. maining ingredients to make 3 more rolls. author and social-media 1/4 cup lemon juice SERVES 4: 2 cups each star Chrissy Teigen’s 3. To prepare rolls: Cover a bamboo sushi mat 4. Use a sharp knife to cut each roll into 8 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar CAL 618 / FAT 48G (SAT 10G) / CHOL 176MG / CARBS 16G / reverse take on avocado with plastic wrap. Place one nori sheet, glossy- pieces, wiping the knife clean with a damp 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt TOTAL SUGARS 4G (ADDED 0G) / PROTEIN 34G / toast features the fruit FIBER 9G / SODIUM 705MG / POTASSIUM 1,031MG. side down, on the mat. Using wet hands, spread towel between slices. Serve drizzled with sprinkled with herbed, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper and press 1 cup of rice to cover the nori. Sprinkle mayonnaise. toasted breadcrumbs. Get SALAD JUNO DEMELO lives in Portland, Oregon, with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Flip the nori so SERVES 4: 8 pieces each the recipe in her latest 6 cups baby kale where she writes about health, food, mother- the rice side is on the plastic wrap. Arrange one- CAL 499 / FAT 23G (SAT 2G) / CHOL 65MG / CARBS 58G / cookbook, Cravings: 2 medium ripe avocados, sliced hood and more. GABY DALKIN is a cook- fourth each of cucumber, mango, avocado and TOTAL SUGARS 9G (ADDED 3G) / PROTEIN 21G / Hungry for More. book author, chef and food writer based in Los FIBER 8G / SODIUM 745MG / POTASSIUM 308MG. 2 large hard-boiled eggs, sliced crab end-to-end across the bottom third of the 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled Angeles. Find her at whatsgabycooking.com.

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