Tonight I’m hosting a dinner for an ominous sounding outfit called the Avocado Brotherhood. Every year they have a secret summit in which they worship the Hass Avocado from Chile.
Here are a few pictures from today’s prep:
Hass Sour Cocktail Recipe
Serves 3 or just 1 (I find you need 3 cocktails for it to touch the sides properly)
75ml pisco
25ml sugar syrup
25ml fresh lime juice
1/4 avocado, blended
Ice cubes, a handful
1 egg white
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until frothy. Put in the egg white and blend till even more frothy. Serve in a glass rimmed with salt.
Avocado Fabergé egg. Covered in pistachios, pink peppercorns, black sesame seeds and cornflowers, filled with mango salsa and Japanese sesame dressing.
Served on a bed of salt strewn with petals
South American Cheese and Potato Soup Recipe
I serve the cheese and potato in a larger bowl and the avocado soup ‘crema de Aguacate’ in a shot glass or smaller bowl. You can use the avocado soup as a garnish or as a chaser.
50g of unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon achiote seeds (a Mexican spice)
550ml of cold water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 kilo of boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
300ml of sour cream or full fat creme fraiche
2 cobs of fresh sweet corn, shorn.
150g of feta cheese
Slices of avocado to garnish with
A handful of fresh coriander leaves
Potato/cheese soup method
In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat.
Add the onion, paprika and achiote seeds and sauté until the onion is softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add the potatoes. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, for about 25 minutes.
Stir in the creme fraiche or sour cream and the sweetcorn and cook until the corn is tender.
Stir in the feta cheese and leave until ‘poached’.
Halve, peel and pit the avocados. Slice crosswise. Place avocado pieces in soup bowls, garnish with fresh coriander and serve.
Avocado Chocolate Butterfly Cakes.
The room awaiting the ‘brotherhood’
Here they are, including TV chef Sophie Michell (left)
The Menu:
Hass sour
Avocado and Padron pepper tempura with ponzu and wasabi
Cheese and potato soup in pumpkins with crema de aguacate chaser
Seared beech smoked tuna with brokeback beans and guacamole
Fabergé egg avocados with mango salsa
Avocado creme brulée (not liked by many)
Avocado chocolate butterfly cakes
Avocado and raspberry cloud cake (a big hit)
Avocado and lime sorbet ( also a big hit)
Avocado chocolate truffles
A bathroom installation: Avocado Suite. I should be in the Tate Modern me.
Growing avocados
I’ve been trying to sprout several avocado stones…
After five weeks only two had roots…
Anonymous
October 27, 2011 at 5:00 pmAll looks fantastic, and would be interested in tasting the cupcakes! Good luck with the meal!
-Laura
love poppy
October 27, 2011 at 5:22 pmWOW…!!
love poppy
October 27, 2011 at 5:22 pmWOW…!!
Oliverde
October 27, 2011 at 9:50 pmLooks amazing. I'd join the brotherhood just to eat that meal.;-)
Fallen From Flavour
October 28, 2011 at 12:48 amLooks great – I adore avocado, so there's no yuk factor for me. Hope it all went well.
Sally - My Custard Pie
October 28, 2011 at 6:31 pmAdore the faberge eggs – brilliant.
Gin and Crumpets
October 30, 2011 at 2:03 pmIt was all completely delicious and the Fabergé eggs were amazing!