Avocados are a winter luxury—those regal, buttery monarchs of fruits. Nothing more needs to be said. Just grab a spoon, sprinkle on a little salt, and savor. I crave avocados and citrus in late winter, perhaps because they feel like an exotic escape to somewhere warmer. I don’t know why, but cutting open an avocado, sliding a knife between the flesh and skin, and slicing it into crescents elevates my life—and lunch.

Celebrate with Avocado Toast

Avocado toast is a modern classic, and for good reason. Start with sourdough or multigrain bread, smash the avocado onto it with the back of a fork, and you’re already winning. But why stop there when you can create masterpieces? Try avocado with crispy bacon, scallions, and tomatoes drizzled with rice vinegar. Or avocado, lemon, and smoked fish. How about avocado with crab, lime, and grapefruit sections? Then there’s avocado with wasabi mayo and lox, or avocado with ham, Dijon, sliced dates, and endive. Feeling indulgent? Top your toast with avocado, a poached egg, lemon, and onion jam. For something bold, pair avocado with sour red cabbage kimchi and shrimp. Let your imagination soar, and your stomach will follow. 

Avocado and Citrus Salads

Avocados provide the creamy, fatty element, while citrus brings the bright acidity—together, they create a natural vinaigrette effect. This pairing is especially magical when combined with greens that have a bitter edge. Here’s a flexible template to experiment with: Start with a base of one or two options, like salad greens, endive, red cabbage, carrots, or spinach. Add sectioned citrus such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons, or limes. Top with something crunchy — think toasted pepitas or pistachios.

For the dressing, flip the usual oil-to-acid ratio on its head: use 2 tablespoons of avocado oil to ¼ cup of vinegar. The avocado itself will provide the rest of the richness. Sturdy winter vegetables like cabbage and root slaws make a wonderful backdrop for these flavors. Don’t forget to add some heat to your dressing—black pepper, Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru), or even a pinch of warmer chilies. Salt is essential with avocados, so finish your salad with a good-quality salt. A touch of sweetness and bitterness will keep the salad balanced and intriguing. Grapefruit is a simple choice since it checks both the citrus and bitter boxes—just be sure to remove the membranes for a clean bite. 

Avocado Inspirations

Avocados have carved out a place in American cuisine, perhaps most famously in the California roll. What a brilliant creation: briny-salty, spicy, and crunchy, all elevated by buttery avocado, fatty mayo, and fresh fish. But while sushi rolls are fabulous, the uses of avocados in Mexican, Brazilian, and Peruvian cuisines are truly sublime. Picture this: avocado with freshly made tortillas, salsa, lime, and fish. Or the same avocado and tortillas paired with black beans and oranges. Imagine a citrusy ceviche topped with creamy avocado, or pickled onions, cilantro, and avocado as a garnish. 

Avocado Takeaways

Balance the creaminess with salt and acid. Experiment with a new flavor combination the next time you cut into an avocado. Buy them unripe and let them ripen at home—it’s worth the wait. Try a citrus and avocado salad. Or go all out: make homemade tortillas and a pot of black beans, slice up an orange, chop some cilantro, squeeze a lime, and crown it all with avocado slices and a pinch of salt. Be happy. Splurging on an avocado here and there is far cheaper—and tastier—than a plane ticket south.

Sidonie Maroon is the culinary educator for the Port Townsend Food Co-op. For more recipes on this topic and others, please visit our website www.foodcoop.coop. Extra recipes include: Sunny Dressing, Honey Lime Dressing,  Faux Green Papaya Salad.

Winter Avocado Slaw

Serves 4

Slaw ingredients

1 large or two medium avocados, sliced

3 cups red cabbage, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, grated

2 navel or blood red oranges, sectioned and cut into bite-sized pieces

½ cup pepita pumpkin seeds, toasted

Dressing ingredients

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne for more heat

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons avocado oil

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

Preparation

1)     Prepare the veggies and toast the pepita seeds. In a large salad bowl, add the cabbage and carrots and mix with the dressing. Layer the oranges, pepita seeds and avocado over the top.

2)     To make the dressing: Using a spice grinder, grind the dry spices, onion, sugar and salt together into a powder. Blend with the oil and vinegar into a creamy emulsion.