The secret to this recipe, The Avocado Coni, the perfect guacamole and the best avocado toast is a ripe avocado. Growing up in the Northeast United States, I had very little exposure to avocado, the fruit, (yes, it’s a fruit). However avocado, the color, was another story. It was one of my mom’s favorites and that of many people in the 60’s.
What is an Avocado
My parents were not big fans of anything other than meat & potatoes. And my Mom, (I Love You Mom), was not a great cook. Only having a few decent things and a couple awesome things she made, but she admitted cooking was not something she enjoyed, so no blame there. And being the youngest of 4 in a family of 6,we did not go out to eat a lot in the 60’s, except for Friday Night and the GCS Club for Lake Erie Perch, but I will save that one for another story. I digress.
Is this Avocado Ripe
So how do you know that an avocado is ripe? More often than not an avocado can be hard as a rock. So when shopping for avocados, look for firmness and color. Ripe avocados feel firm, with a slight give when squeezed and will typically be very dark green in color. If it looks black and mushy, the avocado is too ripe and not good. If it is bright green and hard, the avocado is underripe and can still be used with one of the tricks below.
Naturally the best way to ripen an avocado is to let it happen, you can set them in a bowl in a sunny spot and nature will work its magic. The warmth of the sun helps the fruit ripen faster.
However, If you have a couple days (no more than 2-3), and are short on sun (those grays of winter), before making your favorite dish, you can also put the fruit (avocado, bananas, tomato, or even peaches & pears) in a brown paper bag. Place the bag in a dry place, like the pantry. The fruit will ripen nicely. Science nerd here – ethylene gas is what causes the fruit to soften when ripened. When placed in a bag the gas becomes trapped which speeds up the ripening process. You can put multiple types of fruit in the bag and it will speed up the process. Make sure you keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t get too ripe.
But if you have company arriving in an hour and need the fruit ripe in the next few minutes, you can use your oven. Preheat the oven to 200°, wrap the avocado in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Depending how hard your avocado is it could take up to 10 minutes. I recommend checking the fruit at the 7- or 8-minute mark. Also note that doing this may affect the taste and texture, somewhat, (if so, just add more garlic, basil or both), but it will work in a pinch.
The Recipe – Avocado Coni
Conical
- 4 soft tortilla shells cut in quarters
- Whisk 1 egg white
- Form a quarter of the shell into a conical (cone shape)
- Brush the edge of the inside edge and the outside ledge of the shell with egg white and bind together.
- Place cone down on a shallow baking pan.
- Repeat with the remainder of the quarters.
- Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes (till slightly brown)
- Cool
Filling
- Cut, Peel, Core and Mash Two Ripe Avocado
- Dice a Medium to Large Tomato
- Mince 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
- Fold all ingredients together
- Top with cheese crumbles (Fetta, Goat or Blue)
- Stuff the conical
- Serve
Add fajita seasoned chicken or beef to the filling (I added chicken in those pictured)
Signature Cocktails that pair well: Margarita (regular & spicy) and Bullfrogs or two
Garnish with hummus, chunky salsa, sour cream etc. or
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