Saturday, April 21, 2007

Berry Honored! :)

Today was the judging for the Placer County Strawberry Festival's recipe contest. I have wanted to enter it for the past three years, but for various reasons, I never did. This year, I was sent a press release about the festival, and from there, went to their website to find out about the contest. I saw that the deadline had been extended and that there was still time to enter something if I wanted.... But what to enter? I didn't want to enter anything sweet, even though making cakes, cookies, and pastries is my specialty. I also didn't want to enter anything that had ever been done before. That said, I came up with the idea for Strawberry Guacamole.... And I got second place! Wheeee......

Here is a picture of the dish and the recipe. Enjoy!




Berry Guacamole


This is a spin on traditional guacamole using strawberries as the main
ingredient, but incorporating avocado and banana to retain the
guacamole consistency and a bit of its flavor. A refreshing and
healthful snack/appetizer for a hot Sacramento day!


Ingredients:

3 cups coarsely chopped (not sliced) fresh strawberries

1/8 cup plus 1 Tbs white sugar or splenda

1/8 cup light brown sugar or brown splenda

1 1/2 ripe avocados

½ granny smith or pink lady apple, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup vidalia onion

1/2 banana

1 Tbs honey

1/2 tsp lime zest

2 sprigs fresh mint

1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice

Coarse salt (margarita or kosher) (to taste)

A dash of freshly cracked black pepper


Prodedure:

1. Chop strawberries coarsely. Place in a medium-sized bowl and top
with 1/4 cup sugar or splenda and set aside. Let macerate.

2. Peel banana and place half in a separate bowl. Set aside remainder
for garnish.

3. Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel,
put in the bowl with the banana and mash together with potato masher.
Drizzle honey and lime juice over the mixture and fold in quickly to
prevent browning.

4. Muddle mint in a glass with 1 Tbs sugar or splenda. Put the crushed
mint leaves into the strawberry bowl.

5. Mince apple and place in bowl with the strawberry mixture. Repeat
procedure with the onion.

6. Stir in the avocado-banana mixture into the strawberry mixture.

7. Incorporate the lime zest.

8. Stir in the salt and pepper.

9. Store covered in refrigerator or serve immediately.

10. To serve, spread on:

• Toast with cream cheese

• Corn chips with sour cream

• Angel food cake with whipped topping.

• Pita chips or on graham crackers.

• Crepes with ricotta cheese




Original Recipe by cakegrrl2007