Dying for guacamole, but avocados still days from being ripe? Put them in a paper bag and toss in a banana, apple or citrus fruit.
That's because avocados - which are powerhouses of ethylene, a natural ripening hormone - ripen faster if placed in a paper bag. And they ripen even faster if you add another ethylene producer, such as a banana.
Summer is prime season for this fruit that Americans have come to love more each year. They consume roughly 31⁄2 pounds of avocados annually, more than twice as much as a decade ago, according to federal data.
And while there are nearly 500 varieties of avocados grown around the world, Americans tend to favor just a few, mostly Hass or Hass-like varieties. These avocados are creamy, green-fleshed and have a pebbly skin that turns purplish-black when ripe.
Hass are your basic guacamole avocados, small and bell-shaped, great when eaten like a vegetable on salads or even more creatively, deep-fried as french fries. About 80 percent of U.S. avocado production comes from California.
To tell when avocados are ripe, give them a little squeeze. They should yield to slight pressure, but not be mushy. Unripe avocados should be stored at room temperature, then moved to the refrigerator when ripe. They will keep there for two to three days.
Avocado fries
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Canola oil, for frying
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten
11⁄4 cups panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs
2 firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced into 1⁄2-inch wedges
Heat the oven to 200 F.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high, heat 11⁄2 inches of oil until it reaches 375 F on a deep-fry thermometer.
Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl whisk together the flour and 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt. Place the eggs in a second shallow bowl, and the panko in a third.
One wedge at a time, dredge the avocados through the flour, shaking off any excess, then through the egg and finally through the panko. Set the wedges aside in a single layer.
A quarter of the avocado wedges at a time, fry until deep golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer the wedges to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Transfer the drained fries to an oven-safe plate and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining wedges. Sprinkle with salt to taste.