Recipes  

How to Prepare an Avocado

The avocado is a favourite in salads and smoothies. It can also be enjoyed with just a few seasonings, which can enhance its flavour without overpowering it. Here are a few simple ways to prepare an avocado.

How to open an avocado

1. With a knife, quartered

Use a chef’s knife or a paring knife to slice the avocado in half lengthwise, all the way down the pit. Then cut around the pit to slice the avocado into quarters. Take the wedge with the pit and, using your fingers, pull on the pit and detach it from the flesh. 

2. With a knife and your fingers, halved

Use a chef’s knife or a paring knife to slice the avocado in half lengthwise, all the way down the pit. Then use the knife to cut around the pit. Separate the two halves by twisting them in opposite directions. Firmly strike the pit with the blade of the knife. With the knife wedged in the pit, twist and remove the pit from the avocado’s flesh.

Ambiance1.jpg

How to cut an avocado’s flesh

1. In its shell

Open and pit the avocado. With the tip of the knife and being careful not to pierce the skin, slice the avocado flesh vertically and horizontally to the desired cube size. Slide a spoon between the skin and the flesh and scoop the cubes out.

2. In cubes

Open and pit the avocado. Slide a spoon between the skin and the flesh to detach the fruit. With a knife, cut the avocado in half horizontally. Slice the avocado flesh lengthwise and crosswise to the desired cube size.

Ambiance2.jpg

How to eat an avocado

With balsamic vinegar

Cut the avocado in half (without peeling it) and remove the pit. Pour a bit of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the pit cavity. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy with a spoon, directly out of the skin. Delightful!

With citrus

Cut the avocado open, and then peel and slice it. Arrange the pieces on a serving platter. Garnish with slices of grapefruit or orange, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Click here to discover the different varieties of avocado:

Christina Blais

For Christina Blais, explaining food chemistry to the masses is as simple as making a good omelet. Holding a Bachelor and Master degree in Nutrition, she has been a part-time lecturer for over 30 years in the Department of Nutrition at the Université de Montréal, where she teaches food science courses. She has been sharing the fruits of her experience with Ricardo since 2001, during his daily show broadcast on ICI Radio-Canada Télé. And diehards can also read her Food Chemistry on our website. You can follow her on Facebook at @Encuisineavecchristinablais.