published: Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Avocado tomato salsa goes with more than chips

I think avocado might be my favorite food. I use it in so many different ways. I prefer the large green ones that grow around here. They are fairly easy to grow and will produce lots of fruit if you take the time to protect them from the cool air during the winter.

My dad puts an A-frame step-ladder over his trees and then wraps it with blankets during the cold nights in winter. The only problem with the trees is you have to be patient because it takes about seven years before they start to produce fruit.

The recipe that I am giving you this week is an easy salsa that is good on its own or you might try it on top or fish or chicken. I like to make it spicy as well, so sometimes I add a little of my ghost pepper to it.

I even have served it on fried green tomatoes and the flavors were awesome.

I hope you have had a wonderful Labor day and until next week..

Cheers, Chef.

Avocado tomato salsa

2 Florida avocados peeled and rough chopped (dice sized)

1 red onion diced

4 vine ripe tomatoes cored and chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup of white sugar

1 table spoon of kosher salt

1/4 cup of key lime juice

Tablespoon of fine chopped garlic

In a large mixing bowl fold everything together then put into cambro, label, date and place in salad reach-in cooler.

Tim Spain is System Executive Chef with Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center and Morrison Healthcare Food Service. He can be reached at tim.spain@ahss.org/. Guest columns are the opinion of the writer, not necessarily those of the News-Sun staff.