Fruit is something you’d normally associate with sweet dishes, but the avocado is incredibly versatile and pairs surprisingly well with savoury ingredients.
Eating it mashed on top of a crusty piece of toast is perhaps the most popular way to enjoy avocado, or as a guacamole dip, but one other cooking method will actually bring out the flavour of the fruit much better. According to cooking experts, baking an avocado enhances its creamy texture with the heat helping to draw out the slightly nutty and smoky flavour. While it may seem like an odd choice to bake a piece of fruit, you’ll find it’s much more flavourful than simply mashing it up with a fork.
Not only does baking bring out the natural creaminess of avocado, it makes the fruit much softer than when eaten raw. As such, there’s no need to spend time trying to scoop the flesh out of the skin and mash it as it’s already soft enough to eat as it comes.
Baked avocados can then be used as a creamy base for various different toppings, like eggs, tomatoes, cheese, or simply just a drizzle of olive oil.
Experts at the Floating Kitchen said: “When I first read about the idea of baked avocados, I was skeptical. Wouldn’t they get all brown and weird? And who would ever want to eat a warm avocado? The whole concept seemed strange to me. But I was intrigued enough to try it out for myself. And since then, baked avocados have become a staple in my house (along with like every other recipe involving avocados = I’m obsessed).
“Baking the avocados causes them to turn extra creamy and soft. And they provide the perfect little vessels for loading up with whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand.”
The Avocado Cookbook suggests baking avocado with egg for a tasty, yet healthy, cooked breakfast or brunch dish. To make it simply cut the avocado in half and remove the pit, then scoop out a bit of the flesh to make room for the eggs.
Put the avocado halves into an ovenproof dish and then carefully break an egg into each half before sprinkling some seasoning on top, such as salt and pepper, or paprika or cayenne pepper if you want more of a kick.
Then bake in the oven at 180C for 15 to 20 minutes until the whites of the egg are set. Service with a side of bacon and toast, or just eat it as it comes.
The Avocado Cookbook says: “If you’ve never tried eating baked avocado, now’s your chance.This makes a fabulous cooked breakfast, brunch or supper dish… and it’s so simple to make.”
It adds: “If you like it hot, sprinkle the cooked eggs with dried chilli flakes or a dash of Tabasco or chilli sauce. Instead of bacon, scatter with diced chorizo or spicy sausage. For a vegetarian alternative, leave out the bacon and sprinkle with diced tomato. Or cover with grated cheese towards the end of the cooking time and pop back into the oven until it melts.”