I’ll tell you all about the avocado-dill spread, and share the super-easy recipe, but first, the backstory.
Blackened Fish is Popular ‘Round Here
We love blackened fish here at Glover Gardens. Learning how to do it – and do it well – was a linchpin in my effort to bring the Grill-Meister over to the bright side, the Eat More Fish strategy. We do it the Paul Prudhomme way, which I wrote about a couple of years ago. If you’ve been on the Glover Gardens journey with us, you know all about that. If not, check it out:
We Even Eat Fish Leftovers
My Eat More Fish strategy has been so successful that the Grill-Meister will now eat leftover blackened fish. If any of you out there are fish-disdainers, you can imagine what a big leap this is. Leftover fish??!! You’re probably beyond horrified right now. The rest of you more adventurous eaters might ask, What can you do with leftover blackened fish?
The Duchess of Leftovers Serves Fish Tacos and Fish Sandwiches
I am the Duchess of Leftovers…so how about fish tacos? That’s an obvious one, right? We make extra servings whenever we whip out the cast iron to honor Paul Prudhomme’s memory with some spicy blackened tilapia, just so we can have fish tacos the next day, alternating between flour and tortillas and usually topping it with one of our slaws. Yum.
This week, we wanted to go in a different direction with our terrific tilapia. So we made another obvious choice, a blackened fish sandwich. I started thinking about how to “dress” it so that it wasn’t the same as a fish taco, just substituting a bun for a tortilla, and came up with a creamy, mild avocado-dill spread. It just sounded so summery, so chill and like a perfect partner for our savory fish on a bun. It was!
Avocado and Dill are Like Simon and Garfunkel
Avocado and dill work well together, as evidenced by the numerous recipes you can find on Google: avocado-dill dip, avocado-dill toast, avocado-dill sauce, avocado-dill dressing, green scrambled eggs with avocado and dill, avocado salad with dill dressing, egg salad with avocado and dill…there’s a plethora of options, some mild, and some spicy. I scanned them, absorbed the concepts, and then, as per usual, created my own.
Yum, yum and yum again! The spread was creamy, tangy, mild and yet, somehow present, a supporting actor to the spicy blackened fish, but not quite in the back seat. It was quietly regal, not spice-forward like most of the food we eat, but something that would be missed if it wasn’t in the dish. It was like those friends you always invite to parties who just get along with everyone and make them feel at ease, but are never the ones telling the loudest jokes.
Avocado-Dill Spread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp dried dill
- 1 green onion, white and green parts, minced
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 2 drops tabasco
Cooking Instructions
Scoop out the avocado flesh using the knife and spoon technique (click here for instructions if you haven’t done it before), put it in a medium bowl, and mash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir/mash vigorously with the fork to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.
But Wait, There’s More
There was more spread than we needed that night, so the next night, we did something different. I had some high-quality cold-smoked salmon and thought it would be great with the light-green creamy goodness of avocado and dill, and the Grill-Meister suggested a pita treatment (click here for the recipe).
Oh my goodness! The avocado-dill spread was exponentially better the second night (after having been darn good the first night). As Mom used to say, the flavors “married”. This was another simple match made in culinary heaven, and ensured that the new spread should make it into these pages for sharing. It’s a keeper!
Notes
This super-simple spread should be made in quadruplicate if you’re having a party, or weekend guests (post-COVID, of course). It is very, very flexible…good on bagels, in scrambled eggs, as a sandwich spread (it rocks on a ham sammy!), on crackers, with crudites, as a star in finger sandwiches… you name it!
You can increase the avocado for a greener, more nutty flavor, or add some buttermilk (or lemon and milk) to thin it out and make a dip or salad dressing. Spice it up with diced jalapenos and another clove of garlic, or add a briny, salty kick with a tablespoon of capers…or give a bit of crunch with minced celery or even water chestnuts.
Pro tip: add sliced avocado to the dish you’re making to really amp up the avocado flavor.
© 2020, Glover Gardens
