Grilled Avocado and Papaya Salad
What happens when you bring your favourite fruits together? Absolute glory! It's not a secret that I'm a massive fan of both papaya (or pawpaw rather) and avocado. I love the taste and the textures. Both are versatile and plentiful in Zimbabwe, where I grew up. Still, although eating them raw is considered the healthiest way, I don't see what's wrong with throwing them on the grill for a little bit! You get those gorgeous marks and depth of the flavour while still maintaining some of the fruit's integrity.
As the weather warms, I also highly recommend getting a grill pan. You won't always be able to go outside but will want that effect. You can get the one I use on Amazon; here is the link. I’m a big believer in stocking up for the season by the way, get your kitchen essentials ready).
I'm happy with it so far; it's worth the investment!
As far as the treatment of each of these fruits, I pretty much did the same thing. Tossed in olive oil, herbs, and chilli flakes, the papaya's main differences were the nutmeg, the avocado the balsamic.
Note that when you're handling these, especially the avocado, careful not to break your slices! Use a small pair of kitchen tweezers or tongs to help.
I recommend this colourful, simple salad mix. You can get pretty creative with the additional elements. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 whole avocado, sliced thickly
1/2 pawpaw/papaya, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon truffle oil
1/4 cup sour cream or burrata
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mint leaves
Fresh parsley
Goat cheese
Parmesan shavings
Instructions
In one medium-sized bowl, toss the avocado with 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
In another bowl, toss the the diced pawpaw in 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Spray your grill pan and it over medium-high heat. Place the fruits on opposite sides of the pan to avoid muddling flavors, and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Keep a close eye, you want the flavours to seep in and to get the grill marks and char but don’t want to burn anything. if you need to add a bit more oil to finish off you can do so.
Once you are ready to serve, drizzle with the truffle oil, and season with extra black pepper, chili flakes, serving the the sour cream, and garnish with mint leaves and fresh parsley. This salad can serve two as a light start, or you can double the recipe quantities for more.
Corn, Arugula, and Avocado Salad with a Lemon Vinaigrette
TThis recipe is part of a six course brunch.
Greens are necessary for the brunch table! Surprisingly I don't think a lot of people associate salads with brunch. The mind perhaps wonders about carb, high protein dishes, anything from cinnamon rolls to stuffed omelettes, which is fair. It's all part of the imagery and marketing you constantly see.
However, not only does a plate of greens offer a fresh relief from all that to your mouth and stomach, it adds vibrancy to your table, especially during the warmer seasons. A salad at brunch can also offer some additional nutrients you probably need to jumpstart your day, and let's be honest, shave off some of the guilt from starting at that doughnut platter the whole time.
This recipe is a fun, simple spring salad I think most people will enjoy.
The greens are coated in a basic lemon vinaigrette freshened with thyme and fortified by honey, mustard, and garlic; the base is peppery arugula against a bit of sweetness from the raisins, creaminess from the avocado, slight crunch from the corn, and tang from the blue cheese.
Hopefully, this will become a mainstay in your salad repertoire; enjoy!
Tip: To give this more depth of flavour, use freshly roasted corn instead.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
A pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon raisins
2 handfuls arugula
1 tablespoon blue cheese
1/2 large avocado
1/3 cup corn (freshly cooked and cut from the cobb or canned)
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette. The fastest way is to place all the ingredients in a mason jar, and well, shake! Set aside.
In a large bowl or the serving dish, add the arugula. Lightly coat with a slight drizzle of olive oil.
Evenly distribute the corn over the greens, along with the blue cheese and raisins.
Separately scoop out and decore the avocado and turn it over on the flat side (save the rest for another time). Cut it into even cubes, then immediately splash with lemon. Add to the salad.
Only when ready to serve, add the dressing.
Note: Save the avocado until ready to serve as it will begin to brown shortly after exposure, although the lemon will slow it down.
Enjoy the rest of the brunch! This serves 2 as a small side, double ingredients for a more significant portion.
Mango, Avocado and Cucumber Salad
This recipe is the fifth of six plates I would serve if asked to make a 6-course meal or string of small plates/tapas based on Zimbabwean cuisine. I used ingredients that are commonly eaten or are considered a cornerstone of our cooking, but with a modern twist. The first was sweet potato soup, the second tomato bruschetta with guava balsamic glaze, the third fried sadza with chili creamed corn, and the fourth Portobello steak with acorn squash, kale and green beans.
Similar to the last dish, I concentrate on fruits/vegetables that are used widely in Zimbabwe but not necessarily together on a plate.
Let’s start with the very popular mangoes. The sweet, juicy fruit is readily available, cheap, refreshing, and nutritious. We have two mango trees in my family garden, but the trees were bushy enough to possible contain snakes, so I never attempted to climb them or forage it for fruit. My grandmother, however, had a long pipe with a wire hook on it to reach the tall trees which produced a much healthier, sweeter crop than ours. We always expected to leave her home with a basket full during the peak season. Mangoes can also be seen on the roadside sold by street vendors.
Next up is the avocado, another tree found in many places. I have pulled a few down myself, and they were organic and larger than most of the ones I come across in the grocery stores around the United States. I've mentioned before that ‘avocado toast’ was always a popular snack in Zim, different from the gourmet brunch dish I'm familiar with now. I grew up seeing people spread mashed avocado on their bread for breakfast seasoned with salt, sugar or chili flakes, nothing more!
Combining avocado and mango, on the other hand, not so common, but it should be! Avocado has that creamy texture from the healthy fats they contain, while mangoes are bright, sweet with a slight tartness. This inspired me to make a salad, almost reminiscent of salsa.
The cucumber adds to the freshness of the salad. In our family garden, we had spiky cucumbers or 'horned melons' as well, but used regular or English cucumbers for salads like much of the world does.
I hope you find this recipe as tasty as I do!
Ingredients
1/3 large mango
1 Hass avocado
1 medium cucumber
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon pesto
1 tablespoon basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice + extra for avocado
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
Using a peeler, remove the cucumber skin and peel the uncut cucumber into thin strips. , discard the seeds to use for another recipe and add the strips to a large bowl.
Slice the avocado and remove the seed, dice and toss in lemon juice to slow down oxidation and add them to the bowl.
Slice off a 1/3 of the mango and dice into cubes, add to the bowl.
Add the chopped basil leaves, pesto, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, chili flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and mustard. Mix until the entire salad is coated evenly. Serve immediately.