Avocado, California's Big Winner

When I was a young Mom I met another young woman for a playdate for our daughters. She lived in the same town in Connecticut as I did, but had originally come from California. We became friends, and so did our kids, and we spent time together talking about things most mothers talk about. School. Babysitters. What our children should/don't/won't eat.

We also talked about food. One day she mentioned avocado. 

What?

Please don't think I'm a dinosaur, but back in the late 1970s avocados were not a thing. REALLY! I had heard of them. In fact once, when I was a little girl my mother took me for lunch at Lord & Taylor in the city and I insisted on trying tuna-salad-filled avocado (which my mother let me do although she insisted I would hate it -- and I did). 

I hadn't had an avocado since that time.

And I had not yet heard of guacamole, which this women raved about. She said everyone in California made guacamole. So, I started to also.

Now, these many years (and thousands of avocados later) I can say I am well acquainted with avocados, not just for guacamole but for dozens and dozens of recipes. 

Many thanks to the woman who name-dropped avocado. Many thanks to California, thriving avocado country (in fact, according to The California Difference, the Hass avocado is a California native).

Today that state will have its presidential primaries. And no matter who you are rooting for, I can say without question, the avocado is the state's big winner.

Avocado, Egg and Tomato Sandwich with Pesto Mayonnaise

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
• 4 slices Tuscan-Italian style bread
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, basil and garlic and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use (may be made 2 days ahead). Toast the bread slices lightly. While the bread is toasting, heat the butter in a small pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, pour in the eggs and cook, moving the egg around slightly to allow wet portions to reach the bottom of the pan. When the egg is almost cooked, flip it over, cook briefly and remove from the pan. Spread some of the pesto mayonnaise on 2 slices of the toasted bread. Top each with half the cooked egg. Top with slices of avocado and tomato. Cover with remaining bread slice. Cut sandwiches in half.

Makes 2 servings

Hanger Steak with Charmoula Pesto for Father's Day

How come on Father’s Day so many men cook but on Mother’s Day so many people eat out, usually for brunch? I don’t get it. If men like to cook why don’t they cook for Mother’s Day too?

Is it because Mother’s Day is before the “official” outdoor grill season (which many food writers say starts Memorial Day weekend)?

I don’t think so. Lots of people use their grills all year, or at least when the warmish weather begins and that’s usually before the end of May.

Anyway, Father’s Day seems to be a grill day. In our family it used to be a tribal event at my uncle’s house and included the entire crew of aunts, uncles and cousins. I love my family but always hated this event because my uncle used to grill hot dogs and for so many people that the franks were never crispy on the outside and they were barely cooked. It just became an excuse for me to eat bagsful of potato chips. Even the desserts were remarkably bad — the kind of wobbly cakey-pies that when you see them at a bakery you wonder who would buy them.

When I got married I had an excuse not to go to the family cookout. We got into the habit of visiting my Dad for brunch, then to my in-laws for dinner. My Dad, who was a world-class father, but not a world class cook, would usually make waffles. My mother-in-law made her world class rib roast for dinner. She would never have let my father-in-law near the stove, or even the kitchen for that matter.

So, any dads who are reading this, you should know your children are storing the event in their memory bank. If you’re grilling make it memorable. Here’s a recipe for Grilled Hanger Steak made with a Charmoula Pesto — its a spicy, Moroccan-style sauce that I like on beef, but it’s also good for chicken or lamb. You can also mix some Charmoula with mayonnaise to use as a sandwich spread 1/2 cup may to about 2 teaspoons Charmoula).

Hanger Steak with Charmoula Pesto

• 3 large cloves garlic, mashed
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt to taste
• hanger steak, about 2 pounds

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Mix the garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, parsley and cilantro in a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice. Add the olive oil gradually, beating the mixture constantly. Taste and add salt if needed. Brush the mixture over the meat. Let the meat marinate for at least 30 minutes. Grill the steak 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking.

Makes 4 servings

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