Avocados on the half-shell may be served at any point in the meal – as appetizer, salad, dessert, or as a meal in themselves. The opened avocado makes a perfect small golden cup from which to serve any number of fillings.
Learn all about Avocados and Avocado History.
How To Prepare Avocado on the Half Shell:
To cut the avocado, place it in the palm of your hand and insert a sharp knife with a blade at least 2 inches longer than the avocado.
Without moving the knife, roll the avocado around, slicing it top to bottom and back to the top. A gentle twist will separate the two halves of the avocado, exposing the meat and the seed inside.
To remove the seed or pit an avocado, carefully “hit” the seed with the knife so it pierces it about 1/4 inch or so. Turn the knife with the seed, and it will come loose from the inner flesh so you can easily lift it up and out of the avocado.
To remove the seed from your knife, pinch the seed by placing your fingers over the knife blade (blunt side) and squeeze as though you are pinching the end of the avocado. It should pop off from the knife and fall.
You may use half-shells with or without skins (this is a matter of taste). To peel skin off avocado, place cut-side down, in palm of hand. Strip or pare the skin.
Suggestions using Avocados on the Half Shell:
Mexican Style:
Sprinkle avocado halves liberally with salt, a dab of lime juice, and tequila to taste. To eat in the time honored Mexican way; a little tequila, a lick of the salt from the back of the hand, and a squeeze of the lime – then the avocado. With a tortilla or two this is a Mexican feast.
Spanish Style:
To each half-shell, add 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh mint, a tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, and sugar to taste. Serve with a glass of sherry.
Gourmet Style:
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of black or red caviar in avocado half. Garnish with some chopped hard-cooked egg and finely diced onion. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve on a bed of crushed or chopped ice.
More Ideas:
How about stuffing your avocado halves with chicken salad, crab salad, shrimp salad, tuna salad? The ideas are endless – Be creative!
- Lemon juice, freshly-squeezed
- 2 whole avocados, ripe, cut in half and pits removed (see preparing half shells above)
- Coarse salt and freshly-ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 eggs, hard-cooked, diced
- 2 tablespoons red onions, diced
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Squeeze lemon juice over the avocado halves to prevent browning. Slightly score inside of each avocado halve; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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In a small bowl, combine sour cream and mayonnaise; divide mixture between the four (4) avocado half cavities. Sprinkle each with some diced eggs and diced onions.
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Place each prepared avocado half on individual serving plates and serve.
Comments from readers:
Jim Johnson of Mission Viejom, California sent me his favorite avocado recipe:
I was stationed in Chile with the Army from 1968 to 1971. The best avocado appetizer I ever had was in Chile where the name for avocado is “palta”. A half of an avocado is filled with the southern hemisphere equivalent of king crab “cangrejo” (but you could use any crab meat), and then lightly covered with thousand islands dressing.
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