Eder’s avocado salad

This salad is named after the chef and co-owner, Eder Monterey, of several renowned restaurants in New York that specialise in Spanish and Basque cuisine. Avocado is usually associated with Mexican cuisine, mainly guacamole, so I was looking for a different flavour. This is both easy and delicious. The creaminess of the avocado is balanced by the tartness of the vinegar and the smoky paprika, a spice I absolutely adore. Yes, simple is delicious too, with the perfect ingredients and the right flavours together.

 I picked up this book on a whim and have loved every recipe I have tried. I admit I have a penchant for Basque flavours and dishes; this book satiates that craving. It is a fun book with beautiful pictures, history and, of course, great recipes. Alex Raij and Eder Montero are the chefs and owners of Txikito in New York. Basque: a love letter to the Basque Country in Spain- a region whose cuisine is distinguished by excellence and simplicity in ingredients and techniques. It is unencumbered food in which humble ingredients like beans and peppers hold the same value as aged farmhouse cheeses, pristine seafood, and unique breeds of lamb and cattle.

For more delicious recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 ripe Hass avocados, halved and pitted, per person

Txakoli wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika, preferably from Rioja, or 1 tablespoon sweet La Vera smoked paprika mixed with 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

Maldon salt

About 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Thinly slice an avocado half and arrange the slices on an individual salad plate. Do not fan the slices; they should be close together. (You can also peel the half and lay it cut side down on a plate.) Repeat with the remaining avocado halves.

Drizzle each half with about ½ teaspoon of the vinegar. Using a small fine-mesh strainer or a shaker, dust each serving with a thin layer of paprika. Season with salt, drizzle generously with the oil—you want enough oil to dissolve the paprika and give each half the appearance of a rusty car door—then serve.