ffwd: anne leblanc´s pistachio avocado
This week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie was the simplest of preparations. Any complexity was around sourcing the highlighted ingredient, pistachio oil. Dorie learned this recipe from Anne Leblanc, a purveyor of fine nut oils. Anne Leblanc´s pistachio avocado is a perfect avocado, sliced in half, doused in lemon juice (to prevent browning), and sprinkled with sea salt. Then the hollow of the avocado is filled with pistachio oil.
I was able to locate pistachio oil at my local Whole Foods, but the beautiful labeled 250 ml can of oil was $20. I opted to make my own from this recipe from Food & Wine. Of course, the homemade oil was infused with nuts rather than pressed from the nuts, but the pistachio flavor came through loud and clear.
The verdict on this elegant starter was “interesting, but intense”. The avocado and oil had a silky texture and discovering this new flavor combination was a welcome surprise. I enjoyed trying this one, but eating half an avocado filled with oil is hardly a low-fat offering. Avocados are a staple at our house though I’m thinking next time, sliced avocado with tomatoes over a green salad drizzled with the pistachio oil might be more our speed.
There’s not much more to say about this one. I still have lots of pistachio oil left, so I’m looking for ideas to how to use it.
This recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan’s book Around My French Table. To see other interpretations of this recipe, check out the other French Friday blogger posts here.
If it’s as hot where you as it is where I am, I hope you stay cool this weekend! Happy Friday!
Posted on 31 May 2013, in French Fridays with Dorie and tagged avocado, French Fridays with Dorie, pistachio oil. Bookmark the permalink. 19 Comments.
A Plateful of Happiness 
I need to get my hands on a good avocado, pronto!
I totally agree. It was a bit much with just the avocado and oil for my tastes. I’m looking forward to seeing other uses for the oil – though your idea sounds very yummy!
I definitely enjoyed this a lot, and now I´m using the oil for so many things, especially rice. Love it! Have a great weekend Betsy!
Yeah, I have to find a way to use the pistachio oil now…I definitely have a surplus. I like your idea :)
I loved the recipe as written, but it was also a bit hit the second time I made it. I cubed the avocado and tossed it in a bowl with the lemon juice and (much less) pistachio oil. It made a nice side dish.
Good to hear about the flavor of the store bought oil. Funny, we have been waiting forever for our Wholefoods to open and it would have been the only place around that had the oil.
Yeah, the price of the oil was ouch! I couldn’t even find pistachio oil off the shelf here (only by mail order), so I bought macadamia oil instead. The price of that was ouchy too, but cheaper than pistachio oil. And I can use it for something else …
My brain cramp didn’t leave me with enough time to hunt for this, so the recipe from the P&Q’s was a huge help.
My parents & I ended up splitting the avocado and it was enough to be a treat but not so much that we felt guiltly :-)
There are some things for which I don’t care about the price as they are precious and this oil is one of them. At least to me. I’ll be using it in regular vinaigrettes and marinades and finishings. I was really mad for it. I think I have a junkie habit now so I’m linking over to your recipe for it in case I need help with my new fix.
I like your idea for a salad – the acid of the tomatoes would bring a nice balance to the avocado and oil. I only made a 1/4 of the recipe, so the rest is going to be used in a vinaigrette tomorrow.
I really enjoyed this recipe but I have to agree with you that this is “a bit” indulgent.
Oh yes this is a lovely idea to use the rest of the oil! I am seriously thinking of spending the money to buy it when I find it somewhere!
I’m looking for ideas too. Now that I have discovered pistachio oil I want to learn new ways to use it.
Betsy, your avocado looks lovely all dressed with homemade pistachio oil – if you still need a hint for a recipe (although I am running rather late with comments this week and sorry for that), I will be using it tomorrow with the same “dressing” as this recipe plus chopped pisatchios over simply steamed fresh asparagus, I think that will be nice – and I adore this oil so I want to put it to really good use.
Sorry, again, for being so late with commenting and have a wonderful Sunday!
This was a wonderful way to serve avocado…I enjoyed mine for lunch. I know I will be making it again. I happened to be in Home Goods today and found a can of Pistachio oil for 14. dollars…I couldn’t help myself! I think it would be lovely drizzled on salad!
Now that we have tested the combo “naked”…I am really looking forward to having it with other textures mixed in next time, such as tomatoes or a green salad as you said. I think we will appreciate it all the more.I have seen Doristas serving it with nuts, dried cranberries – all these great ideas for something else to chomp into :) And I love your blue plate- beautiful ! Tricia
I agree. I found myself wanting a smaller portion (it seemed like a lot of avocado and oil), but when I tried to cut one in half all of the oil spilled out. I like the salad idea, definitely more my speed!
I am really bummed out that I substituted Meyer Lemon Olive Oil for Pistachio Oil for this recipe. Just didn’t have it on hand and wanted to use what I have. Almost, almost, have my kitchen settled (I found 6 packages of lentils in my boxes – no kidding) so I definitely will either buy or make PO and make this simple recipe again. I actually think it would be fun to make it just like you did and then serve it with the whole nuts from the olive oil.
Great call on making your own pistachio oil!