Green Tomato Salad with Avocado and Orange
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 large green tomatoes
- 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes
- 3 cloves young garlic, finely chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 juicy oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 ripe but firm avocados, peeled, stoned and sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
- Lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil
- 2 fresh hot red chillies, halved, seeded and chopped
- 60g (1/4 cup) tiny black olives
Method
Slice the green and red tomatoes and put them on a large platter. Scatter over the garlic, squeeze on the limes and season with salt and pepper. Put the orange slices, and avocado on top and sprinkle the coriander over. Drizzle with a little lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle on the chilli and olives.
Serve immediately.
Hints
Buy juicy oranges and firm not squishy avocados. When using garlic raw, look for taut white bulbs and cloves with no soft spots or green sprouting showing (yellowing cloves will be rank). If the garlic has started to sprout, split each clove in half with a sharp knife and pick out the centre sprout (it's the bit which repeats on you later!). If you can afford it, buy lemon-infused olive oil. If you can't afford it, use extra virgin this time and save up for a bottle of lemon-infused oil.
Green tomatoes add texture and acidity - don't leave them out!
The perfume of fresh juicy limes mixed with chilli, garlic, oranges and coriander is just magical.
Good for you! Tomatoes contain lycopene. Garlic we know is a life-giver, and citrus, too, is an antioxidant. And avocados are an exceptional fruit. They contain more protein and fat than any other fruit, but the fat is mostly monounsaturated. Nutritional experts have labelled the avocado 'nutrient-dense'. To qualify for this term a food must provide at least four essential nutrients in the same percentage as the calories it supplies. Avocados provide five essential nutrients in this proportion: Vitamins A, B6, C, folic acid and the mineral copper. They are a good source of energy, are easily digested making them suitable for babies, and their high protein content makes them a valuable food for vegetarians. Half an avocado provides about the same amount of calories as 25g butter (180 calories), and can be used as a spread on bread or toast in place of butter. A dollop of mashed avocado, or guacamole (chillied avocado dip), on top of a jacket-baked potato, is superb in place of butter.
From Hot Nights Cool Days