8 hard-cooked eggs
2 fully ripened avocados from Mexico, halved pitted, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated horseradish, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground or cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
Peel eggs; cut in halves lengthwise. Remove yolks to medium bowl; arrange whites on serving platter. To bowl with yolks, add avocados and lemon juice; mash until smooth, mixing well. Stir in horseradish, salt and peppers. Fill each egg white half with heaping tablespoon of mixture, piling high; sprinkle with herbs, if desired.
To make devilish eyes: Thinly slice roasted red peppers to create veins on eyeballs. Top with sliced black olives.
Serves: 8 (16 halves)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 for eggs
Calories: 68.14
Protein: 3.50 g
Carbohydrates: 2.02 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.21 9
Total Sugars: 0.46 g
Fat: 5.29 g
Saturated Fat: 1.18 g
8 ounces queso fresco or ricotta cheese
8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
3 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 box (17.3 ounce) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ripe avocado from Mexico, halved, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 400⁰F. Butter a 12x17-inch baking sheet. In a bowl, mix queso fresco, jack cheese and chiles; set aside. Onto a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet puff pastry to a 12-inch square; place on baking sheet. Leaving a 1-inch border, evenly spread cheese mixture over pastry. Brush the 1-inch border with the egg. Roll out another sheet of puff pastry to the same size; lay on top of the cheese mixture. Lightly press the edges together. With a fork, prick the top of the pastry 12 times. Brush the top with the remaining egg. Bake until golden and crisp, 20 to 22 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, puree the avocado, oil, lime juice and salt; set aside. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat; add pistachios and stir until fragrant and golden, 4-5 minutes. Remove nuts to a bowl to cool. Cut the cheese pastry into 16 (3x3") squares. To serve, garnish each square with a dollop of the avocado cream and a sprinkle of toasted pistachios. Serve as an appetizer or with a green salad as a main dish.
YIELD: 16 portions
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 257.80
Protein: 8.82 (g)
Carbohydrates: 13.48 (g)
Dietary Fiber: 1.61 (g)
Fat: 18.83 (g)
Saturated Fat: 6.40 (g)
Chef Ina Pinkney, Ina's Restaurant, Chicago
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 cup lime juice, divided
2 cups peeled, cubed cucumber
1 fully ripened avocado from Mexico, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup raw cubed tomatillos
1 cup halved seedless green grapes
½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 whole seeded fresh Serrano pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
6 dashes green hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/3 cups unsweetened coconut water
Tequila or vodka, optional
Avocados slices, grape tomatoes and
pickled onions, optional garnish
On a small flat plate, stir together 3 tablespoons salt and the lime rind; set aside. Pour 1/4 cup of the lime juice into a shallow bowl and set aside. In a blender, combine cucumber, avocado, tomatillos, grapes, cilantro, Serrano pepper, remaining 1/4 cup lime juice, celery salt, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, the hot sauce and black pepper; whirl until smooth; mixture will be slightly thick. Transfer to a 2-quart pitcher; stir in coconut water. Add tequila or vodka to taste, if desired. To serve, dip glass rim in reserved lime juice, then into salt and lime rind mixture. Add ice and fill with "Spookamary". Thread avocado, grape tomatoes and pickled onions onto toothpick or skewer for garnish, if desired.
