Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, stemmed and cut in half
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
½ fennel bulb
2 Haas avocados
1 ounce toasted Marcona almonds
½ cup Green Goddess dressing (see recipe below)
Cracked black pepper, Maldon sea salt
Pea tendrils to garnish
Directions:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine strawberries, sugar and Champagne vinegar and allow to macerate for at least 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, using a knife or mandolin, slice fennel bulb paper thin. Transfer to an ice water bath to keep cold and crisp.
- Just before serving, slice avocados in half. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out each avocado half.
- On each plate, place a few slices of shaved fennel; drizzle with a spoonful of dressing. Place avocado on top, cut side up. Place six strawberry halves and ¼ of the toasted almonds around the avocado. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drizzle avocado half with another spoonful of dressing and garnish with pea tendrils. Repeat plating with remaining avocado halves.
Green Goddess Dressing
Ingredients:
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 garlic clove
¼ cup each chopped chives, fresh tarragon leaves, Italian parsley leaves and fresh chervil
Zest of ¼ lemon, grated
2½ tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1½ tablespoons water
1/3 cup grapeseed or canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Directions:
Place creme fraiche in a mixing bowl. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, herbs, lemon zest, vinegar and water. Blend on high until mixture is smooth. With motor running on high, slowly drizzle in the oil and continue to mix for 10 to 15 seconds. Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl of creme fraiche. Mix with a whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
— Chef Adam Nichol, Bergerac, San Francisco