PRODUCE PICKS: LABOR DAY WEEKEND HASS AVOCADOS (LOCAL GROWN)

By Greg Dunne

September 4, 2015 (San Diego East County)--Labor Day signals the end of summer. It’s time to barbeque – a time for ribs, corn on the cob, watermelon, and to enjoy family and friends. If you want to stump friends at the barbeque, ask when, where and who, was the founder of the Hass avocado. Rudolph Hass first developed the Hass avocado in 1926, more later in the article. Sweet white corn and watermelons are already locked in our minds and on the agenda for Labor Day weekend. So let’s have fun with green salad, avocados and some homemade potato salad.

For one of our ingredients in the salad, I’d like to talk about the Hass avocado. It seemed to me when I was a kid avocado was a “hippy food”--not nearly as well known and used as today. That might date me a bit. San Diego is a great place to grow and buy avocados. Leading the nation in production, California is the largest grower of domestic avocados and home to about 90% of the nation's crop. San Diego County, which produces 60% of all California avocados, is the acknowledged avocado capital of the nation. Avocados are in season here year-round and fans of their creamy, green deliciousness will delight in exploring the region’s bounty.

In 1926, Rudolph Hass, a mail carrier, started growing the Hass avocado from three seeds he bought from A.R. Rideout of Whittier, California. With the advice of a professional grafter named Caulkins, his third attempt to graft the seedling with branches from Fuerte avocado trees (the leading commercial cultivator at the time) was a success. When the tree began bearing odd, bumpy fruit, his children liked the taste. As the tree's yields grew bigger, Hass easily sold what his family didn't eat to co-workers at the post office. The Hass avocado had one of its first commercial successes at the Model Grocery Store on Colorado Street in Pasadena, California. Rudolph Hass patented his trees in 1935, the first patent on a tree in the US. Rudolph Hass died in 1952 in Fallbrook, California.

When choosing Hass Avocados look for dark skin (more black in color) with a very slight give to the touch. Green avocados can take anywhere from a 3-4 days, up to a week to ripen when left out on the kitchen counter. If you choose a dark avocado that is still firm it will most likely ripen up very quickly (within a day or two) if left out on the kitchen counter. Don’t put avocados in the refrigerator unless they turn ripe on you and you not going to use them yet. Refrigerating avocados can cause them to have some dark spots on the inside. While perfectly good to eat they are not so attractive looking.

Thanks Donnie for posing with the case of local Hass Avocados from Baron’s. Here are some homemade recipes from my wife Dianne. Eat healthy, ingredients from Baron’s  Market in Alpine.

AVOCADO and STRAWBERRY SALAD

Ingredients

          Salad

          Approx. four cups butter lettuce, romaine or mixed greens

          One medium avocado, chopped or sliced

          Approx. one cup sliced strawberries

          2 boiling onions, thinly sliced

          1/2 cup Marcona Almonds  

          1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

          Ground pepper

          Vinaigrette

          2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

          2 Tbsp olive oil

          1 Tsp dried tarragon

          2 Tsp sugar

          1 Tsp sea salt

Directions    Place the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl, retaining the feta cheese and ground pepper.  Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl; add to salad and toss until evenly coated.  Top with feta cheese and freshly ground black pepper.  

EASY GUACAMOLE

Ingredients

          2 Ripe Avocados, peeled

          2 Garlic Gloves, chopped

          1 Tomato, chopped

          1/2 cup red onion or shallots, chopped

          1 Tbsp lime juice

          2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

          1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

          1 Tsp sea salt

Directions   Place all Ingredients in a bowl and mush well with a fork for chunky guacamole.  Mix in a food processor or blender if you prefer a smoother guacamole.  Yields two cups.  

AVOCADO DRESSING

Ingredients

          1 Large Ripe Avocado, peeled

          1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, packed

          1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

          3 Scallions, chopped

          2 Garlic Cloves, quartered

          2 Tbsp Lime Juice

          1 Tsp Sugar

          1 Tsp Sea Salt

Directions   Puree all in a blender or food processor until smooth.

This easy to make dressing is pictured here with mixed greens, sliced Persian cucumbers and boiling onions, Heirloom Mini Tomatoes and cooked shrimp.  Pair this salad with some soup from Barons Market For a quick and delicious summer meal. 

CREAMY POTATO SALAD

Summer barbecues and picnics aren't complete without potato salad.  Make ahead and pop it in the refrigerator until it is time to sit down and eat.  I do not have a set recipe for potato salad but the bowl is always empty at the end of the day – the quantities shown are approximate for the salad pictured below.  My one constant in making potato salad is marinating the cooling potatoes in Italian salad dressing and finishing by tossing it all with Mayonnaise.  The rest of the ingredients vary depending on what is in in my vegetable drawer. 

Red potatoes are best for potato salad - choose small potatoes for the best flavor, and try to find ones that are all about the same size so that they all cook evenly in the same amount of time.  Don't choose potatoes that seem dried out, have sprouted or have blemishes.   Also, stay away from any potatoes that have a greenish tone to them – these have been exposed to too much light and will have a bitter taste.

Ingredients

4 pounds medium-size red potatoes

1 cup Italian salad dressing

1/3 to 1/2 cup each chopped green bell pepper, celery and white onion

Two scallions, sliced

1/2 cup bread & butter pickles, roughly chopped

Mustard and celery seed strained from pickle brine

Sea Salt, freshly ground Black Pepper

1 Tbsp Pimentos

1 Tsp prepared Mustard

1 cup Mayonnaise

Six Hard-boiled eggs

Paprika

Directions

1. If you wish to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on.  Scrub or peel your potatoes and quarter them length-wise.  For the best flavor cook for 20-30 minutes in your steamer until easily pierced with the point of a knife.  While your potatoes are steaming, boil your eggs and prepare your chopped vegetables and pickles.    

2. Pour your steamed potatoes into a broad mixing bowl and, while still hot, use a fork to break into bite-size pieces.  Douse the potatoes with Italian salad dressing and toss to coat them evenly – be generous with the salad dressing.  The potatoes will absorb the dressing while cooling to give added flavor to your salad.  Add your chopped veggies, the brine seeds, seasonings and Pimentos to the top. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to cool a while on your kitchen counter.  Cool at the very minimum for half an hour, but up to two hours.

3. Chop the hard-boiled eggs, retaining several slices to garnish the top of the salad.  Add the eggs, mustard and mayonnaise to your potatoes and mix well.  Place in a serving bowl and garnish with the sliced eggs and a sprinkling of paprika.  Refrigerate.