Avocado

With the help of a food processor, this tasty, no-cook soup will be ready to eat in minutes. Serve with stone-ground tortilla chips or warmed flour tortillas.

In a pinch, substitute a drained can of diced tomatoes for fresh and any kind of wine for the dry sherry. For light and fluffy couscous, fluff it with a fork and let sit for a few minutes before eating. An easy way to peel an avocado is to halve it lengthwise and remove the pit by striking it firmly with the blade of a knife and twisting slightly to loosen. Then, make a few lengthwise cuts and a few cuts across, making sure not to pierce the skin. Push the avocado inside out and effortlessly knock the cubes of flesh from the skin.

The avocados in this recipe offer a cool, smooth counterpart to the spiciness of the fish and the rice. Even though they have been cooked with the rest of the meal, they maintain their shape and flavor delightfully. If you have space in your Dutch oven, try adding a handful of snow peas and sliced shiitake mushrooms to round out this Asian-inspired meal. While using plain water will result in a wonderful meal, you can add more depth of flavor by substituting broth. The rice will completely absorb the liquid during cooking, and in the process the fish will take on a delicate, poached texture that is a treat to eat. If you live in a dry climate, you may want to add an extra 2 tablespoons of water.

This salad looks almost too pretty to eat! Try it with other Asian-inspired dishes like Broiled Tuna with Pineapple-Chipotle Salsa (page 57) or Bobby’s Favorite Beef Teriyaki Stir-fry with Broccoli and Peppers (page 18).

Brooke is a huge Mexican food fan. In fact, when Jack was one week old, Brooke had such a mean craving that we took him out to a Mexican spot near us. So it’s no surprise that Jack has become a big fan, too. And since quesadillas are pretty much Mexican grilled cheese, we make them just to give him a little variety, and use them as an opportunity to get a little avocado (which is chock-full of vitamins and has more potassium than a banana) into his diet.

When we were traveling around the country shooting episodes of our Food Network show, Road Tasted, we ate lots of fried, barbecued, and sugary food (Hey, it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it). Wherever we were, Bobby would seek out a salad for lunch or dinner to add a little balance to his diet. The night he discovered chopped salad, it was love at first sight. He developed this easy week-night recipe as soon as we were back home. It’s a salad that accommodates almost any ingredient—feel free to add your own personal favorites into the mix.

There’s just something about layers of ground beef, salsa, tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheddar cheese that appeals to the soul—at least when your mama has been making seven-layer salads and dips for as long as you can remember. Mexican flavors are particularly popular for parties—Brooke is definitely a big fan of them—but this dish is quick enough to fix for a fun weeknight fiesta, too. You can use up the broken bottom-of-the-bag tortilla chips for this meal, and you don’t need a side dish other than a little guacamole for dipping the extra chips in.

“Alligator pears” is what we call the big pale-skinned midwinter varieties of avocados. They’re also known as Florida avocados (as opposed to the more familiar California Hass variety, which has dark, pebbly skin). One type has the name Bacon and that is a great coincidence since they work so wonderfully together.

My version of the classic Insalata Caprese—an Italian salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil—uses green avocados in place of the basil for a Mexican twist. I like to say that the red, white, and green represent the Mexican flag! I arrange this on a big serving platter and place it right in the middle of the dinner table or a buffet—it’s visually arresting and really makes the table pop beautifully.

My friends request this recipe more often than any other. I am often asked if it’s a family recipe. I take it as a compliment that people always seem so surprised to hear that I found it in a magazine when I was about twelve years old. I’ve made it so many times since then and it has evolved into what it is today. I think it’s so delicious—and popular!—because of its clear but very flavorful broth. So often tortilla soup is heavy, but this one is hearty without being unpleasantly thick. In fact, I make such a large batch because everyone always wants seconds and thirds. On the rare occasions that I’ve had leftovers, I’ve discovered that the soup keeps very well, and even gets better, stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. The garnishes keep well stored in zip-top bags; keep the fried tortilla strips at room temperature and everything else in the refrigerator. When serving the second day, just place all the garnishes at the bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup over. I use two kinds of dried chiles—ancho and pasilla—because they add more depth and smoky notes to the broth. Use more or fewer chiles depending on how strong you want their flavor to be. For more on dried chiles, see page 96.

As typically Mexican as the previous recipe is, this one is just as typically American, right down to the Miracle Whip, which I have always preferred to mayonnaise. Naturally sweet shrimp is highlighted by a creamy, mildly sweet, tangy dressing and rich, buttery avocado. This is one of my favorite summer appetizers.

Among all the dishes I make, this one is definitely a favorite. This is why the batch is so big—no one can stop eating it! I have a few tricks that give my guacamole great flavor and texture. First and most important, I use lemon, not lime, juice. Lemon has a little sweetness that brings out all the other flavors. Also key is that I never skimp on the lemon or the kosher salt. I sometimes laugh that I basically make a salty lemonade for the avocado and other ingredients to swim in—trust me, it makes all the difference! Serrano peppers give it a great kick, much better than jalapeños. And finally, never stir as you add each ingredient to the bowl or the guacamole will become too watery. This is especially beautiful served in a dish that shows off the guacamole’s green, white, and red, such as a molcajete—a Mexican mortar and pestle—or a bright and fun serving bowl. Serve with tortilla chips for an appetizer or on top of steak, such as in Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak Tacos (page 102).

This mix of lobster, avocado, and papaya is a luxurious alternative to your everyday salad. It’s sweet and creamy, perfect in the summer on a hot day. With the exception of cutting the avocado, all of the ingredients for the salad can be prepared ahead of time. Then, assembling the salad becomes a quickie. Leftover jade dressing will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to two days and is fantastic with grilled lamb chops.

Butter lettuce, as its name suggests, is so tender that it melts in the mouth like butter. Also called Boston and Bibb lettuce, butter lettuce should come as a fairly large, loose head with thick leaves and an even green color. I’m not a huge fan of hydroponic lettuce because you end up paying more for less lettuce, which makes no sense to me. Visit your local farmers’ market or quality grocer and look for fresh, crisp leaves that are perky and not wilted. Butter lettuce is a terrific canvas to highlight the complementary flavors of acidic yet sweet orange, silky and dense avocado, and rich, crunchy hazelnuts. Shallot-hazelnut vinaigrette is my go-to multipurpose salad dressing; this recipe makes extra. Be sure to try it on other green salads or even grilled fish.

Escabeche is a classic Spanish preparation in which you sear fish or meat, then marinate it in a vinegar sauce until it’s sort of pickled. Unlike ceviche, which is raw fish “cooked” by citrus juice, escabeche is cooked first. The bracing and acidic vinegar cuts through oily fish such as kingfish (also called king mackerel), herring, or bonito just perfectly. This super simple dish makes a light, flavorful starter that wakes up the taste buds and hits the spot on a hot day.

Ceviche is a much-loved dish in Miami, with a million delicious variations. In a nutshell, it’s seafood that is prepared by marinating in citrus juice, which makes the fish more opaque and firm, just as if it had been cooked with heat. I like to keep my recipe pretty straightforward and often use grouper, a favorite local fish. If you want to play around with other kinds of seafood, snapper, striped bass, scallops, and halibut are all the right texture. Whichever you choose, it’s important to start with the freshest, cleanest fish possible. The bright, refreshing combo of orange, lemon, and lime with creamy avocado and sweet mango makes for a great balance of texture, flavor, and visual appeal. If I had to describe it, I’d say it tastes like sashimi salsa! A little of the kimchi base adds another level of pow. You can sub a good hot sauce but trust me; it’s crazy good with the kimchi! As with all cold preparations, all of the ingredients should be cold to start. Also take the time to chill your serving bowls to ensure the dish is enjoyed at the proper temperature. For a cocktail party, serve the ceviche in tablespoons or wonton spoons as single bites.