2014 A to Z Blogging Challenge - F is for Fabergé avocado

The great thing about the A to Z blogging challenge? I've finally gone through that archive of old pics on the hard drive and found 3 years worth of unused things. Like this avocado event that MsMarmitelover hosted on 27 October 2011 and I helped cook at - it's taken this long to get round to posting all this. This is the story of my life as it stands. I should point out that all these ideas are hers - I just get to do the handiwork.

'I try out one.... you make the rest!' MsMarmitelover is a typical chef!

This avocado themed meal was for The Avocado Brotherhood (now there's an interesting blog!) and each course had avocado as a star ingredient. Just as we had cleaned all the kitchen and were waiting for her guests to arrive she looked around the kitchen at all the prep - "Do you think this is too much avocado?" Going to one of her events you certainly get something you wouldn't get anywhere else - nobody else would put that much work in to it!.

The fabergé avocado was based on a faint recollection of some idea she had seen once, then made into something of her own: the way the best things are created!
The filling was mango salsa mixed ["Here! Chop this!] with ponzu dressing (before ponzu was really popular). We cut the avocados in half, de-stoned them, filled with the mango salsa and put the halves back together. Then rolled in a mix of black sesame, chopped pistachio, pink peppercorns, dried marigold and cornflours. Maybe some other things from the vast collection of spices, salts, peppers which fill every available space of her kitchen. They certainly created a stunning centrepiece sat on rock salt. Getting the things to stand up - now that was fun!

Whoever knew avocados were so versatile!

Avocado pisco sour. 

Tuna steak seared on the aga with guacamole

Avocado creme brulee - before initial baking (would this also be good savoury?)

Avocado and lime sorbet

Avocado truffles (avocado maximalisation!)

Trying to get ripe avocadoes? So difficult! The Avocado Brotherhood had sent her so many to make this meal - so many there were all these left over! What better thing to create than an avocado suite? 

Pumpkin and marmite in the dining room - got that autumn feel!

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Meat Free Monday #16 - Red rice salad with grilled asparagus (and garlic mushrooms, grilled aubergine and avocado with walnuts)

What's this - a Meat Free Monday post actually on the day?
This was 8 hours ago. Finally found the camera lead. I have a whole load of Meat Free Monday posts to catch up on - the last few weeks have just been so busy.

I had wanted to try a red rice salad for a while (big rice fan). Between emails and lists I fixed a quick lunch utilsing the last of the asparagus stalks (tips were used for a canape) and an avocado left from a chicken and avocado salad.
Garlic mushrooms too - with garlic butter left from making garlic bread and some grilled aubergines and butternut squash with mint and lemon juice.
I tried out the electric health grill. It's sloped so the oil drips out and is caught. No smoke too.




Red rice salad

Cooked red rice
Sliced black olives
Sliced sundried tomato
Diced raw fennel
Lemon juice (lots)
Olive oil
Mint
Parsley

But you could add what you liked really.

Maybe enough for 2 but I had walked up an appetite in the Malvern hills the day before.

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