If I have a signature dish it is probably my salmon with avocado crust. I have no idea where the original recipe came from and, anyway, I’ve changed it and adapted it so many times over the years that it very likely bears no resemblance to the original. The thing is, I can just make it. No fuss, no thinking required.
When the avocado is perfectly ripe, it works brilliantly. I mash the flesh of the avocado with a fork, mixing in some truffle infused oil, a crushed garlic clove, some salt, a dash of lemon juice.
Someone, somewhere taught me the easy way to get to the flesh of the avocado with a knife and a spoon. So, generally, it’s all very quick and simple. Cut, cut, scoop, scoop and mash away.
Unless the perfectly ripe avocados are no such thing.
Above are the remains of two decidedly imperfectly ripe avocados. My question is, how do they test for ripeness? Whatever they do, they need to change it, because it’s a bit hit and miss.
So, instead of a fork, I had to get the stick blender out and zwoosh it up a bit. A lot, actually. It was akin to mixing cement with a teaspoon. Still, eventually it was smooth enough. Of course, the stick blender works fine but, being not quite ripe, means the avocado lacks a bit of flavour.
Not that it really mattered.
So, for dinner tonight, we had salmon with avocado crust which is not such a big thing but we had it on the terrace, which is the first time this year. That was because the day was stunning, hot (well, I thought it was hot) and still bright when we ate.
Sometimes things are perfect even when the avocados are not.
