May 8, 2019 — Italian

Bresaola and avocado with rocket, Parmesan and crisp toasts

  • 30 minutes
  • 4 PEOPLE
  • easy

This is a standard Soho trattatoria fare of the 70's. Bresaola, rocket and Parmesan is still popular so the avocado element seems to have fallen out of favour. Put it back in - it's a good combo!

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Share this yummy recipe with a friend on WhatsApp

Follow us on Instagram — @WhatDadCooked

What you need

Bresaola – 2 or 3 pieces per person

Avocado – a quarter to a half per person

Artisan sourdough bread

Parmesan

Rocket garnish

Good olive oil

Lemon

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Dad's Recipe Tales

Avocados, avocados everywhere avocados!

How did avocados become so popular in the UK?

Our family grew up with avocados in Southern California; literally, there were small avocado groves scattered all around our neighbourhood. Because of the abundance of avocados grown in California – and our neighbourhood – they featured regularly in our diet. We ate a lot of avocado: in hamburgers, on toast, alongside steak, chicken or fish, with enchiladas, in tacos and every kind of sandwich, but mainly in salads – big bowls of icy, crisp lettuces, salad vegetables, croutons and loads of avocado, finished with a creamy dressing. We missed our avocados when we arrived on these shores in the late 1960’s; there were none to be found. If we did find one, it was a precious rarity – made even more strange and uncommon by virtue of not being grown in California but a kibbutz in Israel.

Clearly the supply chains for avocados have matured and developed to keep pace with the burgeoning demand for the fruit. Not only is the quantity increasing, but also the quality. These days, we can buy ripe, ‘ready to eat’ eat avocados from our local grocery store. Perhaps it is this single factor that has caused the avocado to flourish as our latest food trend. Avocados may be wonderful things; but only during the very short period they are fully ripe. And achieving a ripe avocado can be a bit of a palava. In the early days avocados were bought rock hard, taken home and patiently ripened over a couple of weeks. This ritual was very frustrating and made the advance timing of a dinner-party guacamole almost impossible; even placing a stubbornly unsoftened fruit in a bag full of bananas with their fruit-ripening gases could not be relied upon. But now with a continuous glut of ripened fruit in-store, we can knock-up a ‘guac’ whenever we fancy.

If the supply has been sorted, where did the demand come from? Well, from what we read in the media, avocados are a nutrient-rich superfood. Full of antioxidants, vitamin E and B, soluble fibres, carotenes, minerals and essential acids, they can help regulate appetite, lower blood pressure, balance cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Their one down side is that they are high in fat – but even this is monounsaturated, better than saturated and generally considered a neutral or even beneficial fat… So what’s not to like? Avocados not only score high as a nutritious food they are very pleasant to eat. Mild in flavour with a rich textural taste that is both firm, smooth, velvety and very delicious.

Another benefit of the avocado is its versatility. Although I consider myself an aficionado and unflinching fan of the avocado, I worry that its versatility is forcing the avocado to become an unnaturally ubiquitous ingredient. It seems you can do anything with an avocado. Perhaps so, but I would draw a line at avocado purees, avocado whizzed up with creams and soft cheese or anything else, mousses, soups or any dish that includes hot, grilled or baked avocado (avocados should be eaten at room temperature – possibly a little colder, but never hotter). I’m also perplexed by the current rage of combining soft-boiled eggs and avocado – this feels like one gloopy texture too much to me.  So don’t mess about with an avocado more than necessary; with the exception of guacamole, an avocado should be served simply accompanying other delicious food.

 

How Dad Cooked It

Serve this to suit. It can work as part of an antipasti, as a large platter for sharing as a starter, or plated individually. Adjust the quantities according to appetite and occassion.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C Gas 6. Using a very sharp knife or bread knife, cut the bread extremely thin or as thin as possible. Brush both sides with olive oil and place in between two thick but shallow baking trays with greaseproof paper above and below the bread (or rest on top of greaseproof paper on a single tray). Bake for about 15 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Allow to cool and crisps further.

2. Arrange the bresaola and garnish with rocket and Parmesan shavings.

3. Make a dressing with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve with dressing and toasts.

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