Top 3 guacamole recipes from Aussie chefs

Kim McCosker’s 4 Ingredients guacamole

Best-selling author Kim McCosker’s version of guacamole is not only quick and easy to make, it’s also gluten- and lactose-free, making it an easy win for gatherings where your guests have different dietary requirements.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 extra-large (300 g) avocado, diced
• 1 small, vine-ripened tomato, diced
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander
• Sea salt and cracked pepper, to season

Gluten-free baked garlic tortilla chips (optional)

• Gluten-free corn tortillas
• Olive oil
• Crushed garlic

Method

1. Place all the ingredients for your guacamole into a bowl. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper and gently mix to combine.
2. Cover with glad wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve (though this dip is best served immediately to prevent the avocado oxidising).
3. If making, for tortilla chips, preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly brush each corn tortilla with olive oil and crushed garlic. Cut into wedges and place single-file onto a baking tray. Bake for 7 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy. Cool to serve.

This is an edited extract from 4 Ingredients More Gluten Free Lactose Free by Kim McCosker. RRP $24.99.

Adam Liaw’s guacamole salad

Bulking out a simple guacamole with a few salad greens, tomatoes and herbs takes it from a condiment to a side dish, or even a main meal. This is perfect alongside barbecued meats and fried haloumi, or just on its own.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 avocados
• Juice of 2 limes, plus extra lime wedges to serve
• Salt, to season
• 3 cups (100 g) rocket leaves
• 1 loosely packed cup (30 g) coriander leaves and stems
• 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ red onion, very finely sliced
• Olive oil, to drizzle
• Black pepper, to season

Method

1. Cut the avocados in half, remove the stones and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the lime juice, season well with salt and mash together with a fork until combined to a chunky guacamole.
2. Toss together the rocket, coriander, cherry tomatoes and onion. Dress lightly with olive oil.
3. Plonk the guacamole next to the salad, sprinkle with black pepper and serve with lime wedges.

This is an edited extract from Tonight’s Dinner by Adam Liaw, published by Hardie Grant Books & SBS, RRP $45. Available in stores nationally.

Matt Preston’s avocado smash on corn fritters

What could be greater than smashed avo on toast? How about smashed avo on corn fritters with granola – 3 breakfast greats combined into 1!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large avocados (about 300 g each)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100 g good quality feta
• Coriander leaves, to serve
• 2 limes, quartered

Chilli granola

• ½ cup (80 g) pepita (pumpkin seed) and sunflower seed mix
• ¼ cup (20 g) flaked almonds
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes

The corniest corn fritters

• 2 x 420 g cans corn kernels, drained, or 1½ cups (240 g) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup (75 g) plain flour
• ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• Olive oil, for shallow frying

Method

1. To make the granola, line a baking tray with baking paper. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the seed mix and almonds and cook, tossing, for 5 minutes or until toasted.
2. Add the maple syrup and brown sugar and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until it reduces slightly and is thick and sticky. Transfer to the tray and sprinkle over the salt and chilli flakes.
3. Set aside to cool. Clean the pan – it will be easier now than later, when the syrup has set into toffee.
4. To make the fritters, preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Combine the corn, onion, flour, parsley and lemon zest in a large bowl. Mix until well-combined, and season. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Stir with a spatula until well combined.
5. Add enough oil to the frying pan so it’s 5 mm deep and heat over medium heat. Spoon ¼ cupfuls of the batter into pan. Cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a baking tray lined with paper towel to drain. Place into the oven to keep warm while you cook the next batch. Repeat with remaining batter, adding extra oil to pan when necessary (it may be a few batches, depending on the size of your pan).
6. Halve the avocados and remove the stones. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Use a fork to roughly mash or smash, leaving it a little chunky.
7. To serve, top the fritters with the smashed avocado and sprinkle with granola, crumbled feta and some torn coriander leaves, and have wedges of lime on the side.

This is an edited extract from World of Flavour by Matt Preston, published by Penguin Books, RRP $40. Available in stores nationally.

First published March 2022