Cabo-Style Avocado and Cucumber Salad
By Heidi Allison
This salad comes together in no time; very little prep is involved, and like magic…the avocado, citrus juices, and garlic create the dressing while it’s chilling in the fridge-how easy is that! What will surprise you about this recipe: the avocado-centric dish remains a vibrant green color for several days in the fridge (sidesteps that unappetizing grey/brown color oxidized avocado gets without preservatives), and the texture stays crisp. The flavor of the finished dish is bright and fresh, with a rich, creamy citrus- forward dressing. A versatile summer side that transforms into a main when paired with iced seafood and frosty margs!
While an exceptionally easy dish, several culinary tricks make this salad work: Choosing the right cucumber; salting and icing the cukes to enhance their flavor and lock in a crispy texture; and dicing the avocado into 1/3-inch cubes so that they are small enough to “melt’ into a creamy dressing while still providing creamy chunks that melt on your tongue. Select English cucumbers (or Persian cucumbers) for this dish; the peel is soft and edible, the flavor is sweet without a bitter back note, the seeds are soft and almost nonexistent, and the flesh is dense and crisp. Include the “secret” step Mexican chefs use in this dish: alternating a light sprinkling of salt and ice over sliced cucumbers, which removes any bitterness while crisping up the flesh. And pick an avocado that feels a bit firm to the touch; avoid “mushy” or the texture in the finished dish will miss the mark. The most efficient way to achieve the correct-size 1/3-inch dice this dish demands is using a baking grid cooling tray placed over a bowl with salted/iced cukes; place the cut side of avocado on top of the grid and push down, then pull the avocado down towards the edge of the bowl. Perfect and even dice every time!
Cabo-Style Avocado and Cucumber Salad
Serves: 2 as a main; 4 as a starter
Ingredients
1 English cucumber
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tray of ice; 1/3 cup cold water
1 large Hass avocado, slightly firm to the touch
1 large clove of garlic, peeled
1 large lemon
2 limes
2 Tbsp. good-quality extra virgin olive oil (I recommend California Ranch)
3-5 Tbsp. minced cilantro, tender stems and leaves only
¾ lb. peeled, cooked, and chilled shrimp
Add-ons:
1 jalapeno, serrano, or picked hot yellow chiles (optional for garnish)
Preparation
Wash and dry the cucumber. Cut the cucumber in half horizontally and remove one inch from both ends. Peel alternating strips of one piece with a vegetable peeler; drag the tines of a dinner fork lengthwise into the flesh about ¼-inch deep with the other piece. Cut both halves into ½ moon rounds, about 1/3-inch thick.
Place the cucumber into a medium bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt and then ice. Let sit about 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain off excess liquid in a colander and set aside.
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Place one half of the avocado, cut side down, on a grid baking cooling tray, and push down till you reach the skin, then slide the avocado down towards you, and the avocado cubes will fall over the cucumber pieces. Repeat with the remaining avocado.
Add lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, and olive oil and toss to coat. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve; at least 3-4 hours. Top with minced cilantro and place on a plate with chilled shrimp.
