Whether you are making guacamole, a salad or using avocado as a garnish, you must first cut through that often tough skin. The waiters in Mexican restaurants make it look so easy, but when you do it at home, you may wish they could give you lessons. Here are some.
Instructions
1. Rinse the avocado before cutting. Even though you are not eating the outside, the knife still penetrates the skin and touches the insides.
2. Hold the avocado in one hand, lengthwise from fingers to palm. If you're not comfortable slicing the avocado while it is in your hand, place it on a cutting board or clean plate. You will be cutting it in a circle from the stem to the stem again.
3. Grab a chef's knife and slice the avocado till you hit the pit. Keep cutting till you reach the initial cut. Try to do this without removing the knife. If you can't, just clean the blade before continuing to cut.
4. Separate the halves and wipe your knife. Scoop out the side without the pit with a large spoon. If you are going to mash it and make guacamole, it doesn't matter if the scooped avocado remains intact.
5. Remove the pit by scooping it out with a spoon, as you did the other half. You also can hold the half in one hand and the chef's knife in the other. Tap the pit firmly with the blade so that it sticks into the pit. Most ripe avocados will release the pit. Be careful not to let the blade slide into your hand.
6. Slice the halves while the skin is still on and peel away the tough outer layer for nice firm slices. You can also spoon out the eatable insides with a spoon if making guacamole.
Tags: chef knife, making guacamole, with spoon, your hand