Nearly 20 years ago I happened upon a dressing that would change the way I looked at avocado… forever.
On the market of downtown Roanoke, Virginia was a quaint Brazilian café. I loved the food there, but what really kept me coming back was the avocado vinaigrette. The texture was creamy and smooth and the flavor was far more ‘green’ than could have been possible with avocado alone. I liked it so much, in fact, that I would ask for extra in which to dip my bread. On one occasion, I finally asked how it was made and the chef revealed his secret… a whole head of romaine lettuce.
The lettuce provides plenty of rich green color and freshness that rounds out the dressing. This dressing can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Try it on a simple salad or as a dip for chips or crackers.
As a bonus today, we are releasing a guide in the form of a video. This is a fun, minute and a half look at making the dressing. We hope you love it. The recipe follows.
Green Goodness: Avocado Vinaigrette from Sam Henderson on Vimeo.
AVOCADO VINAIGRETTE
Before you start:
You may prefer a little more garlic. This is a good place to start.
For thinner dressing add a bit more water.
This makes about a cup and a half. Good luck keeping it around.
The ingredients:
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 large clove garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup water
- Generous pinch of coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 avocado
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
The method:
- Coarsely chop romaine lettuce and add it to a food processor with water. Process until lettuce is finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Pour processed romaine into a small bowl lined with cheesecloth or a thin, clean tea towel. Squeeze as much of the liquid out as possible.
- Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut and scoop out the avocado and cut it into large chunks.
- Add garlic, avocado, romaine liquid, vinegar, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
- With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and blend until smooth and creamy.
