Avocado And Watercress Salad Food

WATERCRESS, AVOCADO AND ORANGE SALAD

Steps:

• Soak 1/4 thinly sliced red onion in cold water, about 10 minutes. Whisk 1/4 cup orange juice, the juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Drain the onion; toss with 2 bunches watercress, 2 sliced avocados, 2 segmented oranges and the dressing. Top with chopped toasted hazelnuts.

AVOCADO AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Stir together vinegar, onion, apple, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar has dissolved, then stir in oil.
• Just before serving, toss watercress with enough dressing to coat. Quarter, pit, and peel avocado, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Gently toss with watercress.

WATERCRESS AND AVOCADO SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Tear watercress into bite-sized pieces and toss with dressing. Divide salad among 6 serving plates. Thinly slice avocado halves into strips lengthwise. Garnish center of each salad with avocado and serve.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT, AVOCADO, AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Dressing:
• First make the dressing. Combine the mustard and sherry vinegar in a bowl and add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil, followed by the hazelnut oil to emulsify, then set aside.
• Salad:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for 3 to 4 minutes to warm and release their flavor. Turn into a cloth and rub gently to remove the skins, then roughly chop the nuts.
• For the salad, wash the watercress and gently pat dry. Peel the grapefruit, removing all the pith, then cut out the segments over a large bowl to catch the juice as well as the segments. Halve, pit, and peel the avocado, then cut into slices, similar in size to the grapefruit. Add to the grapefruit with the watercress and toss gently with your fingers to mix.
• If the dressing has separated on standing, give it a whisk, then drizzle half of it over the salad and toss lightly, so you don't break up the avocado or grapefruit. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Arrange the salad on a plate, interleaving the prosciutto slices and romano if using, with the watercress, grapefruit, and avocado. Sprinkle with the minced parsley and drizzle over the remaining dressing. Finally, scatter over the hazelnuts and serve.

SALMON, AVOCADO, WATERCRESS & PUMPKIN SEED SALAD

Steps:

• Put the salmon fillets in a small frying pan (I use one with a 20cm / 8in diameter) and cover with cold water from the tap. Add the whole scallions and peppercorns, squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle in the salt, then bring to the boil, uncovered. When the pan is bubbling, turn the fillets over, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for 7 minutes. Then take the fillets out of the liquid and leave to cool completely, which could take up to 1 hour. Once cool, the salmon will be cooked through, with its flesh desirably tender and coral inside.
• While the salmon's cooling, make a start on the salad. Toast the pumpkin seeds by tossing them in a dry, heavy-based frying pan on the hob. They will start jumping a little, and will darken and get a smokier taste. It doesn't take long to toast them, so don't leave the pan and, indeed, keep giving it a quick swirl. Then transfer to a cold plate.
• When you're ready to unite salmon with salad, put the watercress into a large shallow bowl (or split between 2 bowls), sprinkle with the vinegar, and toss. Now add the salmon, removing the skin and tearing the fish into bite-sized pieces or shreddy bits, as you wish.
• Halve the avocado and remove the stone, then spoon the flesh out onto the salmon and watercress, or cut it into slices if you prefer. Drizzle the oil over the salad, sprinkle with the salt and half of the toasted pumpkin seeds, and toss gently to mix. Scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds on top, and eat.
• MAKE AHEAD NOTE: The salmon can be cooked up to 3 days ahead. Cool for up to 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate until needed.

EGG SALAD SANDWICH WITH AVOCADO AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Cook the eggs 10 minutes in a saucepan of simmering water to cover. Drain, cool under cold running water, and peel. Roughly mash the eggs in a bowl with the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread 4 slices of toast with mayonnaise, if you like. Arrange about 1/4 of the avocado slices on each. Spread each with 1/4 of the egg salad and arrange watercress sprigs on top. Top each sandwich with another slice of toast and serve.

EXOTIC AVOCADO SALAD

Steps:

• Dry-fry the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan for a few minutes, tossing and turning them until they look toasted. Tip them out of the pan and let them go cold. Peel the papayas, halve them lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into long, thin slices. Halve the avocados and remove the stones, then peel off the skin and slice the flesh lengthways into thin slices.
• Put the papayas, avocados, pumpkin seeds and watercress into a large bowl. Chop about 1 tbsp of the mint leaves and set aside. Pick the remaining leaves from the stalks and tear them into the bowl.
• Mix the lime juice and olive oil with the rest of the chopped mint to make a dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it, then transfer to a serving platter.