Getting Started: Avocado Appetizers

Posted April 6, 2018

You’ve undoubtedly heard of spring cleaning; when you take the time to scrub every square inch of your restaurant — down to restoring the grout lines — to ensure it’s spick and span for the summer months. Well, you can apply the same sense of spring renewal to your menu.

Spring is the perfect time to freshen up your menu, and there’s nothing fresher than the delicious flavor of avocados. Make sure your customers start their meals on the right foot with these avocado-infused appetizer recipes sure to keep them coming back for more.

Avocado Basil Cucumber Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cucumber
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Peel and pit the avocado
2. Cut cucumber into 1/4-inch slices
3. Combine avocado, basil leaves, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth
4. Spread avocado mixture on each cucumber slice and top each slice with once cherry tomato and a dab of yogurt (optional)
5. Serve chilled

Avocado Fries

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Slice avocado lengthwise into “fries,” discard pit and rind
3. Pour flour and bread crumbs into two separate, shallow bowls
4. In a third shallow bowl, crack and beat the egg
5. Carefully press avocado slices into flour, coating evenly
6. Dip into beaten egg and press into bread crumbs
7. Place breaded avocado slices on a baking sheet in a single layer
8. Sprinkle grated Parmesan onto slices, as desired
9. Bake approximately 10 minutes until cheese is melted and “fries” are golden brown
10. Serve hot with customer’s choice of dipping sauce

Bacon-Wrapped Avocado Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 4-6 strips of bacon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. chili powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix brown sugar and chili powder together in a small bowl.
3. Line baking sheet with tin foil.
4. Cut open avocado and remove pit.
5. Cut avocado into half inch slices lengthwise and then cut slices in half widthwise.
6. Wrap each chunk of avocado in a slice of bacon.
7. Roll bacon-wrapped avocado in brown sugar-chili powder mixture and place on baking sheet.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes and serve warm.