Friday, May 25, 2007

This Was Yummy...

GREEN VELVET

It wasn't until just recently that I decided that I like avocados. I don't think that I had ever tried them before because they looked so scary from the outside. The skin is bumpy and odd looking.

I guess it's true that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover because when you cut open an avocado it's like you struck gold. The flesh is a beautiful gradiation of green that goes from dark to light. The texture is soft and velvety and the flavor is subtle but rich at the same time.

You could even say it's sort of like butter. But unlike butter it is not high in saturated fat, but high in monounsaturated fat which is really good for you. As a matter of fact, avocados are really good for you. For great facts and nutrition info check out the World's Healthiest Foods website. So now that you know how good they are for you - eat up (in moderation, of course!)

Avocado Pasta Salad

1 cup orzo
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
salt & pepper
1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and cut in chunks
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or roasted red peppers, cut in strips
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered
1/4 cup black & green olives, halved lengthwise
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
fresh lemon juice from half a lemon

Cook orzo according to package directions, drain and add a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Once pasta is cool, mix all ingredients together. Serve at room temperature with crostini or chill and serve cold if desired.

7 comments:

Your Girl Friday said...

Dear Annie,

Oh how I tried so hard to cook braised lamb shanks for dinner the other night and screwed the up royally. I followed the recipe to the T and still got chewy meat.

Help!

Confused in AUS

P.S HI!!!!!

Annie said...

Your Girl Friday,

Lamb shanks are not on my usual menu. But maybe you just got a bad batch of meat?? Braising in general is supposed to produce the most tender meat, but it does depend on the cut of meat and the cooking time.

One thing I just thought of in braising is that the your liquid should be bubbling in order to break down the meat. Use the lowest temperature possible that will produce a simmer. Then cook for at least 3 hours, but the longer the better. Hope that helps!

Anonymous said...

I did try avocado,pasta salad recipe.The flavor is excellent,Bambola

Freya said...

Glad you discovered the joys of the avocado - they really are so good! This salad looks like the perfect way to show them off!
Great blog, by the way!

Sara said...

I think I will make this for dinner tonight! Thanks for a delicious sounding recipe.

Your Girl Friday said...

Thanks Annie!

I think I may have had a micture of a bad batch of meat and a shitty recipe. My recipe only suggested 2 hours of cooking and 4 cups of stock per four shanks. (I ended up adding more) I think the meat needs to be bubbling under the liquid for longer which would suggest I need more stock as it reduces pretty quickly. The flavour was fantastic, just vege stock, garlic, onions carrots and celery. The meat was crapola!

Thanks for the advice!

Annie said...

Bambola, I'm glad you likey!

Freya & Paul, Yes I'm glad too since they are sooo good for you. Thanks for visiting again!

Sara, Oh goody. Let me know how it worked out!

Your Girl Friday, Glad to help. You know what they say "try, try, and try again and get a better recipe" -well maybe that's what I say!