Avocados share a key similarity to another green fruit with a similar shape, pears. They both refuse to ripen for the longest time, and then in a blink, they are past their prime.
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Late winter is avocado season in California, and during a recent visit with the Old Man’s dad, we were gifted a large bag of avocados picked right then and there off the tree. At that point, they were hard as rocks, but just like pears, if you waited until they were soft to harvest them, they would taste awful. Rock hard is perfect! Unless you want to eat them.
The only thing to do is to be patient. Let them sit out on the counter until they begin to be soft to the touch, but don’t wait too long after that or they’ll just get gross. We had several that ripened all at once, so they got tucked into the refrigerator where the ripening process slows down greatly.
Now, I can eat avocados straight with no problem, but they also have the perfect taste and texture for mixing with other ingredients. The trick is to blend them with bold flavors that perk up the mild avocados, but without covering them up. Feta is exactly that type of ingredient with it’s salty and tangy creaminess. Throw in a little lime juice and cilantro and you have yourself a Greek-ish guacamole. So now it’s just a matter of deciding between tortilla chips or pita wedges. I say both!
Feta & Avocado Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. avocado flesh
- 1/4 lb. crumbled feta cheese
- 2 Tbsp. finely slivered green onion
- 2 Tbsp. packed finely chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Directions
In a bowl, mash together the avocado and feta cheese with a fork. It does not need to be completely smooth, but should be well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend. Adjust any seasonings as desired then serve. This is perfect served with tortilla chips, pita chips or wedges, crackers, good ol’ potato chips, or as a spread in a sandwich instead of mayonnaise! Enjoy!
Mostly Greek 
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