Recipe Mutiny steals recipes from food blogs and recipe sites. Then we publish them. With credit (Naturally).
Saturday, May 4, 2019
How to Ripen an Avocado
Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, which means you probably need some guacamole. Problem: When you zero-in on the avocados at your supermarket, they’re green and rock-hard. By the time your avocado ripens, you’ll have resorted to a taco shop to satisfy your craving. It could take up to six days for that avocado to turn soft and creamy inside. Six. Days. Oh, the agony.
Avocados ripen after they have been harvested, not while on the tree, according to the Hass Avocado Board. As your fruit sits on the counter, it releases the plant hormone ethylene, a type of gas that triggers the ripening process.
Evriholder Avo Saver Avocado Holder, 2 for $8.41 on Amazon
Once it's ripe, keep it fresh with this nifty avo case!
If you need a ripe avocado for tonight’s (or tomorrow’s) dinner, you better find a soft avocado at the store. There’s no other way. Unless you want to resort to store-bought guacamole, which is perhaps not as generally terrible as it once was, but will never be quite the same.
You say you’re desperate, and you demand to know the secret—the trick that surely must exist—on how to ripen avocados fast? Truly sorry, The trouble is, the fastest you’ll get a rock-hard avocado to turn soft is in a full day…or two. So don’t be fooled by claims you find online that you can ripen an avocado in 10 minutes, says the California Avocado Commission, either in the microwave or by wrapping the avocado in aluminum foil and baking it at 200 F. Your fruit may get softer, but it won’t have the buttery, nutty taste and creamy texture you know and love.
And the jury’s still out on the avocado sock.
The Avocado Sock, $17 (+ shipping) on Amazon
This adorable pouch promises to make your avocados achieve perfect ripeness in less than 48 hours.
So here’s what you need to know. (Let’s assume we’re talking about a Haas avocado, the most common variety.)
How to Ripen an Avocado
1. Select your avocado. How do you know when an avocado is ready to eat without cutting it open and tasting it? You can tell when the skin turns from green to black (if it’s a Haas avocado) and when you squeeze it in your palm, it gives a little—but not too much. If you want the avocado for slices, slightly firm-ripe is fine. For guacamole, you want it ripe-ripe.
2. If you can’t find a properly ripe avocado, you’ll need to wait. Yes, you’ll have to postpone making the the recipe that requires it for at least a couple days. Sorry. You can speed up the ripening process, though. Don’t lose hope.
3. Place the unripe avocado in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana. Better if the fruit friend you select for your avocado is already ripe, itself.
4. Close or fold up the bag so that no air can get out. Ideally, place the bag in sunlight. This method works faster than simply leaving your avocado on the counter because the other fruits also emit ethylene gas, and when they’re all inside the sealed paper bag, the gas is trapped inside and works double-time on the avocado.
5. Check on your avocado the next day. If it’s not ripe enough, give it another day or two, checking every day.
6. Never refrigerate your avocado until it’s already ripe. If it’s perfect and you want to stop it from ripening any further, then you can stash it in the fridge. Squeeze some lemon or lime juice on any exposed parts of the flesh to prevent browning, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in a sealed container. Eat it within a couple days.
And beware! Cutting avocados has proven to be more dangerous than it seems. Slice the right way (and prevent a Meryl) with this informative video.
OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer, $9.99 on Amazon
Split, pit, and slice your avocados perfectly every time, without risking avocado hand.
When your avocados are good to go, try these party-style avocado recipes.
Avocado Pico de Gallo Salsa
Chowhound
Inject cubes of creaminess to your freshly diced tomatoes, onions, and chiles for a salsa that earns its chip like no other. With this version, you won’t need a separate guacamole dip. It’s an all-in-one munchie, perfect for parties and watching football. Get our Avocado Pico de Gallo Salsa recipe.
Mini Black Bean Cakes with Carnitas and Avocado
Chowhound
Set aside at least three hours to make these mouthwatering bean morsels piled with pulled pork and mashed avocado brightened with lime. You can make some of the components ahead of time if that helps. The combination of these elements is stellar, making your efforts for a memorable appetizer worthwhile. Get our Mini Black Bean Cakes recipe.
Fried Avocado Tacos
Chowhound
Deep-fried wedges of avocado are the star, instead of the garnish, in these tacos. In this case, you want your avocado relatively firm. Pickled red cabbage and a soothing yogurt-cilantro sauce round out the flavor and texture profile within the tortilla. Get our Fried Avocado Tacos recipe.
Avocado Crèma
Chowhound
Instead of guacamole, try a smoother, even creamier variety for topping your tacos, enchiladas, and nachos. This kind uses sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Get our Avocado Crèma recipe.
Classic Guacamole
Chowhound
How could we list avocado recipes without including the most obvious one? We couldn’t. This recipe goes a little beyond the most basic, with scallions, cilantro, and Roma tomato in it. Make this dip right before your event. It shouldn’t take much longer than 15 minutes, and it yields six cups—enough for a small crowd. Get our Guacamole recipe.
Herbed Avocado Spread
Chowhound
If you’ve overdosed on gauc try this herbed spread for a little mix em’ up. Chives and Italian spices give it “hmmm what is in this?” vibes and it’s perfect on sandwiches, eggs, or a piece of grilled fish. Get our Herbed Avocado Spread recipe.
Related Video: 30 Days of Avocado Recipes
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11 of the Best Mexican Recipes to Grill This Spring and Summer
Since spring is in full swing, it’s time to break out the barbecue, and grilled Mexican food sounds perfect for Cinco de Mayo (or any other occasion too). Margaritas optional, but encouraged.
While not all of the below dishes are what you’d call authentic, they are all delicious, and meant to capture the experience of an evening stroll through a town in Mexico, where the smell of meat cooking over charcoal is one of the primary sensory pleasures. So, yes, we have carne asada, but a couple vegetarian options too—and even a sangría made with grilled fruit. Buen provecho!
Looking for other ways to celebrate? We’ve got a few suggestions:
- Make These Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes
- Throw a Mexican Street Food Celebration for Cinco de Mayo
- Mix Up One of These 11 Tequila Drinks That Aren’t Margaritas
- Take Some Tips From Mexican Chefs for Your Cinco de Mayo Menu
- Start Using Bug Salt with Your Mezcal
- Celebrate Spring Produce and Cinco de Mayo with Vegetarian Mexican Recipes
Or, just get to the grilling!
1. Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Chowhound
Grilled shrimp are a lighter alternative to meat for tacos. Toss them quickly in spicy chipotle powder, cumin, and lime juice, then grill to develop a flavorful char. Stuff into warm corn tortillas and top with fresh avocado-corn salsa. Get our Grilled Shrimp Tacos recipe.
2. Mexican BBQ Chicken
Chowhound
A recipe inspired by Mexico’s pollo al carbon, chickens marinated and cooked on huge charcoal grills, this is easier to pull off on your Weber. The marinade contains achiote paste, chopped cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, lime, and orange juice. Get our Mexican BBQ Chicken recipe.
El Yucateco Achiote Paste, $3.99 on Amazon
Annatto seeds lend flavor and vibrant orange color to this seasoning paste.
3. Grilled Chile Salmon with Lime Crema
Chowhound
Salmon fillets marinate quickly in chili powder, garlic, lime, and olive oil. After grilling, the salmon is served with a sauce of Mexican crema or sour cream, lime, cilantro, and green onions. Get our Grilled Chile Salmon with Lime Crema recipe.
4. Carne Asada
Chowhound
Flank steak marinated with beer, lime and lemon juice, garlic, red onion, salt, and a bit of sugar gets grilled, sliced, and slipped into tacos. Get our Carne Asada recipe.
5. Guacamole Turkey Burgers
Chowhound
Turkey burgers can be dry and tasteless, but not these. Dark-meat turkey lends juiciness and flavor, while additions of chili powder, lime zest, and cilantro lend character. A topping of tangy guacamole finishes things off in vivid style. Get our Guacamole Turkey Burgers recipe.
6. Mexican Grilled Steak Salad
Chowhound
For this healthy Mexican grilled flank steak recipe, medium-rare slices of beer-marinated beef mingle with romaine lettuce, canned black beans, cherry tomatoes, avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro in an avocado-yogurt dressing. Get our Mexican Grilled Steak Salad recipe.
7. Grilled Tofu Torta
Chowhound
Grill marinated tofu, then top it with smashed black beans, salty crumbles of cotija cheese, pickled jalapeños, creamy avocado, and shredded lettuce, all inside a soft bun. Get our Grilled Tofu Torta recipe.
8. Grilled Sangría
Chowhound
Sangria is technically Spanish (its Mexican cousin is clerico), but it’s perfect with Mexican food. Adding grilled fruit gives it a bit of smoky flavor that complements the red wine and brandy, but also mellows out the booziness. Get our Grilled Sangría recipe.
9. Grilled Rib-Eyes with Chile-Lime-Tequila Butter
Chowhound
Steaks on the grill are the iconic summertime meal. We top ours with a Mexican-style compound butter spiked with chiles, black pepper, lime juice, and tequila. Get our Grilled Rib-Eyes with Chile-Lime-Tequila Butter recipe.
10. Pork and Chorizo Chile Burger
Chowhound
Top these burgers of ground pork and spicy Mexican chorizo with grilled chiles and a grilled avocado mash (clearly paving the way for grilled guac on the side!), and wash it all down with a refreshing beer cocktail (or a straight-up bottle of cerveza). Get our Pork and Chorizo Chile Burger recipe.
11. Grilled Corn with Cayenne, Lime, and Cotija
Chowhound
Grilled corn is a beautiful thing, but even better when dressed Mexican-street-food-style, slathered in cayenne-spiked mayo, rolled in cotija cheese, and spritzed with lime juice. Add a sprinkle of cilantro and/or a few cracks of black pepper if you like. It also has a built-in handle since you grill it in the husk—pure perfection. Get our Grilled Corn with Cayenne, Lime, and Cotija recipe.
See more at our Cinco de Mayo headquarters. And check out the best Mexican cookbooks for celebrating Mexican food year-round.
All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.
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11 Tequila Cocktails That Go Beyond the Margarita
Tequila has a reputation as a party alcohol: It’s the one you reach for on vacation or for a weekend margarita. (And we love them, especially with a twist; see our Cucumber Margarita recipe or our Watermelon Margarita recipe for just two tasty examples.) But these tequila cocktail recipes show the Mexican spirit in a different, and dare we say, more sophisticated light. Try them out and find your new go-to cocktail for entertaining…or just for a Thursday night at home.
1. Tequila Negroni
Chowhound
Spaghetti tacos aren’t the only Mexican-Italian fusion we’re into. We also like swapping out the usual gin for blanco tequila in a classic negroni cocktail once in a while. Get our Tequila Negroni recipe.
2. Copa Verde
Chowhound
This clever cocktail incorporates avocados and thyme for a savory twist on your typical tequila drink, with a nice bit of body from the creamy fruit. Get our Copa Verde recipe.
3. Big Spender
Chowhound
Hey, big spender, we can’t get enough of you. This gorgeous bubbly cocktail gets its sparkle from Champagne (or Cava). The flavor profile might sound too complicated, but give it a chance. Unexpected spirits, like Clément Créole Shrubb liqueur (a spiced rum blend), mingle together to create a bold and bright drink. Get our Big Spender recipe.
4. Zapatos Nuevos
Chowhound
We aren’t entirely sure why this drink is called “new shoes” in Spanish, but you’ll be so busy sipping that you won’t even think about it. Basil, lime juice, and cubes of fresh watermelon make this one of the most refreshing tequila cocktails we’ve ever had. Ideal for summer and spring, it’s an easily batch-able drink to make for a crowd. Get our Zapatos Nuevos recipe.
5. Silk Stockings
Chowhound
Tequila isn’t just for cold summer drinks. Here, we shake it up with heavy cream and sweet crème de cacao. A dash of cinnamon and a touch of grenadine transform the drink into a festive winter indulgence that is high on our list for holiday parties. Not that you can’t enjoy it in summer too; think of it as a lighter, boozier milkshake and it makes sense. Get our Silk Stockings recipe.
6. La Pinela
Chowhound
Spicy and sweet, this tequila cocktail gets its kick from Licor 43, a spiced Spanish liqueur with hints of vanilla. The sweetness is far from one note: Pineapple juice adds natural sugar and homemade cinnamon syrup layers on a little more. Make extra cinnamon syrup to use in fall cocktails and desserts; we promise it won’t go to waste. Get our La Pinela recipe.
7. Mexican 75
Chowhound
France can keep their French 75 cocktails. Instead, discover a new twist on the classic drink. This recipe swaps gin for tequila and keeps the lime, simple syrup, and sparkling wine. It’s sweet, effervescent, and gets you tipsy. What’s not to like? Get our Mexican 75 recipe.
8. Tamarindo Borracho
Chowhound
Spice up your tequila with a hit of tamarind-chile syrup. This sweet infused simple syrup is the perfect way to showcase tamarind, a slightly sour fruit that is often found in Indian and Mexican cuisine. Tequila is an excellent foil for the bold flavor of the tamarind and the heat of the chile. Get our Tamarindo Borracho recipe.
9. Coupe de Ville
Chowhound
This kinda sorta counts as Grand Marnier-enhanced margarita, but it gets a fizzy lift from lager, and is great for big batches (whether you’re hosting a Cinco de Mayo party or watching a game with friends). Get our Coupe de Ville recipe.
10. Extra-Spicy Bloody Maria
Chowhound
Tequila can be for brunch too—try this spicy tequila twist on a Bloody Mary with your next breakfast burrito or plate of huevos rancheros. Get our Extra-Spicy Bloody Maria recipe.
11. Tequila Mockingbird
Since the name is a play on the famous book, we consider drinking this cocktail kind of like getting our (drinking) education. With just four ingredients, it’s easy to make but the addition of crème de menthe takes tequila in a new direction. Vividly green in color, it’s just the sort of interesting cocktail we like to serve at a party. Get our Tequila Mockingbird recipe.
Related Video: How to Make a Champagne Sunrise Cocktail
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Simply Recipes 2019 Meal Plan: May Week 2
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Yeasted Belgian Waffles
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