March is a special month for seasonal fruit.
The winter fruits are now running out and for the spring ones it is still too early, only the first strawberries appear which, in most cases, however, are not yet those of the village.
And then, perhaps, it may be the right month to indulge in some exotic fruit, always with the awareness, however, that favoring products with a short supply chain and truly in season is healthier both for us and for the environment. Lots of avocados that arrive on our tables come from afar, mainly fromCentral America, sometimes from the Spain.
In fact, in recent years, some attempts to grow avocados are also made in the country: happens in Sicily, on the slopes of Etna, where, thanks to the particularly mild climate and the quality of the water and the soil, different qualities of these fruits are grown, mainly using organic methods; seasonality depends on the type of fruit, the best Sicilian avocado to eat in March is Hass.
As for the properties, avocado is a good source of potassium, fiber and monounsaturated fat. It is considered an excellent ally in the diet against high cholesterol, has a good content of vitamins, in particular vitamin A and B vitamins and has digestive and astringent qualities.
How to choose and store avocado
Avocado should be consumed when fully ripe; to verify it, check that it results soft to a slight pressure of the fingers.
If it is still unripe, in order to accelerate ripening, store it in a paper bag, at room temperature, for 3-5 days. Ripe avocado, on the other hand, can be kept in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
Avocado among the potassium-rich fruit
How to eat avocado: the guacamole recipe
Avocado is one of those fruits that goes well with savory dishes. It is the main ingredient of guacamole, a simple and quick sauce to make, which goes well with salads, appetizers and main courses.
To prepare it in a similar way to classic recipe need:
> 2 avocado,
> a clove of garlic,
> an onion,
> 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil,
> 1-2 ripe tomatoes,
> a hot pepper,
> an untreated lemon,
> a teaspoon of chopped fresh coriander,
> salt, black pepper.
The original recipes actually predict lime instead of lemon, but since it is really difficult to find untreated ones in our area, a sincere local lemon is better.
Method: blanch the tomato, then peel it and cut it into cubes. Peel the avocados, cut them in two and remove the inner core; cut the pulp of the first into cubes, put the pulp of the other in a bowl and mash it with a fork. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with the lemon peel and juice, two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, fresh coriander, a piece of finely chopped hot pepper, salt and black pepper. After mixing everything, let it rest in the refrigerator for about half an hour, covering the surface of the bowl with plastic wrap, to prevent it from oxidizing.
The variations of guacamole sauce are numerous. It can be prepared more or less spicy. You can replace the coriander with parsley, you can remove the garlic or add more, use sweet or spicy paprika or even those who like to enrich it with fresh spreadable cheese…. A versatile and customizable sauce, according to your tastes.
Also discover avocado oil, its properties and use
