The World Avocado Organization is proud to introduce a unique and healthy addition to your Christmas festivities this year. As the holiday season approaches, we invite you to explore a culinary experience that goes beyond traditional recipes – a full-course meal with avocado as the shining star. By incorporating avocados into your Christmas cooking, you can transform your holiday menu into a flavorful yet nutritious delight.

Avocados are celebrated as a superfood, offering various health benefits. Packed with essential nutrients such as healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, avocados can help lower cholesterol levels and improve heart, gut, and overall health.

They have even been linked to a reduction in the risk of some diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

But avocados aren’t just nutritious; they are also an incredibly versatile fruit with a unique flavour and creamy, buttery texture. This makes them an invaluable addition to both savoury and sweet dishes, as they contain hardly any sugar, salt, or saturated fat, making them the perfect swap for less healthy options such as high amounts of granulated sugar, butter, and other fatty foods.

By incorporating avocados into your Christmas feast, you’re not only treating yourself and your loved ones to a memorable meal but also investing in improved health.

This Christmas, consider these three jolly avocado showtoppers:

Festive Avocado Tartare with Dill Cream and a Poached Egg Yolk

Ingredients 

• 2 Avocados
• 1 Shallot
• 2 Tsp capers
• 3 Sprigs of dill
• 3 Tablespoons crème fraîche
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 4 egg yolks
• Cress or dill to garnish
• Sea salt, to taste

Equipment

• Cooking ring (optional)

Recipe tips

• Also, add the zest of the lime to the avocado tartare.
• Use smoked salmon or a spoonful of small shrimp instead of the poached egg yolk.

Method

1. Finely dice the shallot. Finely chop the capers and dill. 
2. Halve the avocados, remove the stones, and peel off the skin. Cut the avocado into tiny cubes.
3. Mix the crème fraîche with the shallot, capers, dill, and lime juice. Stir in the avocado. Season the avocado tartare with salt and pepper.
4. For the poached egg yolks, bring a saucepan with plenty of water to a gentle boil. Use a spoon to carefully slide the egg yolks into the pan. Poach the egg yolks for 2-3 minutes or until done to taste.
5. Divide the avocado tartare over four plates. Use a cooking ring for an extra-neat presentation. Place a poached egg yolk on top of each tartare. Garnish with cress or dill sprigs. Sprinkle with sea salt, to taste.

Glistening Avocado En Croûte

Ingredients 

• 4 Avocados
• 8 Small puff pastry sheets (±12cm x 12cm)
• 100g Cheddar cheese

For the spice mix

• 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 Tsp curry powder
• Sea salt and pepper

For the egg wash

• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp water
• A Pinch of salt

To serve

• 200mL of your favourite homemade or store-bought gravy

Equipment

• 1 Kebab or satay skewer
• Baking paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/450°F/gas mark 8. Defrost the pastry.
2. Combine the spice mix ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning to taste.
3. Slice off ¼ of the base of the avocado (the wide end) and remove the stone. This is slightly complicated to do while retaining the avocado’s shape, so pierce the top of the avocado with a skewer and push down on it gently so the stone comes out.
4. Peel the skins off the avocados and dust the flesh with the spice mix.
5. Stuff the avocados with cheese, pressing them into the hole left by the pit. Place each one, cut side down, on the centre of a pastry sheet. Layer over a second pastry sheet, tuck the avocado in, and press it lightly to remove any air pockets and to ensure the two layers have formed a seal.
6. Cut off excess pastry following the edges of the avocado to end up with a round pastry parcel. Use a sharp knife to press a pattern of your choice into the pastry. Repeat with the others.
7. Combine the ingredients for the egg wash together and brush it over all four avocado pastries. Put them on a lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
8. Heat the gravy. Serve the avocado en croûte right away, with gravy on the side.

Scrumptious Chocolate and Avocado Yule Log

Ingredients 

For sponge cake

• 4 Eggs
• 100g Flour
• 100g Sugar
• 1 Pinch of salt
• ½ Tsp vanilla extract

For the cream filling

• 2 Avocados
• 30g Pure cocoa powder
• 100g Icing sugar
• 100g Dark dessert chocolate (85% cocoa)
• 45g Pouring cream

For toppings

• 250g dark dessert chocolate (85% cocoa)
• 250mL whipping cream (35% G.M.)

Equipment

• Baking tray
• Baking paper

Method

For the filling

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or a bain-marie (water must not touch the bowl). Set aside.
2. Open the avocados, remove the stones, peel, and slice.
3. Mash and mix in the cocoa powder, melted chocolate, sugar, and cream until smooth. Leave it to cool for a few hours to set before using.

For the topping

1. Heat the cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Stir until smooth. Leave it to cool for a few hours to set before using.

For the sponge cake

1. Mix the eggs with sugar and vanilla extract and beat until white and double in volume.
2. Add the sifted flour and salt, mixing by slowly folding the mixture.
3. Spread the dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
4. Bake in the oven, preheated to 180 ºC with upper and lower heat, for 8–10 minutes.
5. Cut the edges as straight as possible, and sprinkle flour on top. Roll it up inside the baking paper, being careful not to break it. Leave it to cool for a couple of minutes.

Assembling the log

1. Unroll the sponge cake and fill the inside with the chocolate and avocado cream. Roll it up again.
2. Spread the chocolate coating on top of the log, drawing stripes with a skewer to make a wood effect.
3. Store in the fridge until serving time, decorate to taste, and sprinkle icing sugar on top.