Avocado Gazapacho

This may be my favorite of all of my posts. Here is a recipe that I made up for an Avocado Gazpacho. My amigos mexicanos and extranjeros alike have given it unreserved approval. Since avocados are the Green Gold of Michoacán, I share the recipe with Patzcuaro aficionados here.

 © 2009

From Tracy Novinger’s Kitchen

Avocado Gazpacho©

Ingredients (Serves 4)

2 large or 3 small, perfectly ripe avocadoes (remove skin and stone)

1/3 to ½ serrano chili, deveined and deseeded

1-2 heaping tablespoons chopped yellow onion or green onion

1 clove garlic, peeled, coarsely chopped

2 cups chilled, defatted chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon salt

Small bunch fresh cilantro (approx. 1/2 cup coarsely chopped)

¼ cup coarsely chopped mint

Juice of 1 lime

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into small chunks.

½ cup unsweetened natural yogurt

Preparation

Roughly chop chili, onion and garlic; put them in blender with the broth and avocado meat and process thoroughly on high speed until smooth. Add cilantro, mint, lime juice and salt. Pulse briefly to chop; do not over-process. Add cucumber. Pulse to very coarsely chop. Do not over-process. Taste and adjust seasoning (lime, salt). Chill well. Will keep overnight in refrigerator.

Serve chilled. Top each bowl with dollop of yogurt. Garnish with a cilantro leaf, a mint leaf and ½ of a paper thin round of cucumber.

Suggestions:

• Serve with a slice of whole wheat bread sprinkled with parmesan and browned under a broiler.

• Serve with cold or grilled shrimp for a full meal.

Squash Blossom Soup

Flor de Calabaza

The following soup is delicious, very light and delicate. It is the family recipe of a good Mexican friend. Quantities are not precise, but you should have no difficulty. This recipe is a treasure. You may want to experiment during Patzcuaro's rainy season with all of the fresh mushrooms to be found at the market at Plaza Chica.

Squash Blossom Soup

2 liters chicken broth

Olive oil

1 medium onion

4 garlic cloves

Mushrooms
Squash blossoms
Epazote

Slice onion very thin.
Dice garlic.
Sauté in olive oil until transparent.
Add 2 liters of chicken broth.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes
Strain broth
Add sliced mushrooms (oyster type) and whole stems (2-3 large handfuls).
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add (2-3 large handfuls) squash blossoms torn into 3 or four pieces (without stems).
Add ½ bunch epazote.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Remove mushroom stems and epazote.

Serve hot.

Squash blossoms and mushrooms: Estimate quantities to your taste. Be generous.