Celebrate California Avocado Month This June with Distinct Avocado Eats

Acclaimed chefs from Sari Sari Store’s Margarita Manzke and Wiz Bang Bar’s Kim Malek honor the fruit’s versatility and peak availability with unique recipes and month-long menu specials, found exclusively at Los Angeles’ Grand Central Market and Portland’s Pine Street Market

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June is here and that means California Avocado Month is too! The Golden State’s official fruit is finally at the peak of its season, readily available and optimally delicious.

To commemorate the occasion and highlight California avocados’ wide range of culinary possibilities, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) has partnered with a variety of chefs at two well-known food halls, Los Angeles’ historic Grand Central Market and Portland’s unique Pine Street Market.

During the month of June, a special selection of restaurants at each market will host limited-time California avocado menu items. With this season’s bountiful harvest, these chefs have developed a diverse selection of delectable dishes featuring fresh California avocados.

This is the second consecutive California Avocado Month partnership between CAC and Grand Central Market. This year, CAC has enlisted the help of Sari Sari Store’s creator, Chef Margarita Manzke, to recreate a Filipino staple – Chicken Adobo Fried Rice made even better with California Avocados.

“California avocado season is one of my favorite seasons! Because the fruit is at its peak, locally grown and picked nearby, I never have to travel far to get great tasting avocados for my menu and my home,” said Chef Manzke.

Portland is gaining the attention of some experienced and enthusiastic eaters due to its growing foodie fan base and the city’s Pine Street Market is no exception. Leveraging the woodland ingredients of the Pacific Northwest and fresh California avocados, CEO and co-founder, Kim Malek and her team at Wiz Bang Bar created a one-of-a-kind Wild Berry Frozen Yogurt and California Avocado Lime Fudge Parfait to serve during the market’s promotion.

“I never forget how lucky we are to have access to vibrant, delicious fruit grown on the West Coast and that’s why I’m honored to include and celebrate California Avocados in our newest recipe at Wiz Bang Bar,” said Salt & Straw's CEO and co-founder Kim Malek.

In addition to Sari Sari Store, Grand Central Market’s other participating vendors include, DTLA Cheese, Golden Road Brewing Company, Horse Thief BBQ, Olio GCM Wood Fired Pizzeria, Prawn and Ramen Hood. Joining Wiz Bang Bar at Pine Street Market, other vendors serving California Avocado Month specials include Bless Your Heart Burger, Checkerboard Pizza and Olympia Provisions Public House Annex. Stop by either market during the month of June to enjoy these restaurants’ creations.

Fans across the nation can join in the celebration with recipes from Chef Manzke and CEO and co-founder Malek at CaliforniaAvocado.com, in addition to a variety of others that highlight the heart-healthy* superfood. One-third of a medium avocado (50 g) has 80 calories, provides a good source of dietary fiber and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a nutrient-rich choice for any diet.

Find even more recognition of the annual California Avocado Month by following along on Facebook at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and on Twitter and Instagram at @ca_avocados.

*While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Chicken Adobo and California Avocado Fried Rice Topped with Pickled Vegetables
Recipe created by Chef Margarita Manzke of Sari Sari Store for the California Avocado Commission

Serves: 4

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blended vegetable oil or vegetable oil
• 1 lb. chicken breast, boneless, skinless, diced into 1” cubes
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
• 2 2/3 Tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 2/3 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 4 cups steamed rice
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sliced scallion
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic, fried for topping
• 2 ripe, fresh California avocados, peeled, seeded and diced
• Pickled Vegetables (see make-ahead recipe below)

Instructions:

1. In a sauté pan, add ½ cup of oil and heat to medium temperature.
2. Add one egg at a time, frying yolk side up to preferred doneness and set each aside.
3. In the same sauté pan, add the rest of the oil and heat to high temperature.
4. Add chicken to saucepan and season with black pepper, cooking until chicken is light brown.
5. Add in the garlic and sauté with the chicken until garlic is light brown.
6. Add chicken stock, soy sauce, white vinegar, bay leaves, sugar and bring to a boil.
7. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Remove bay leaves, add steamed rice and continue to sauté until rice is evenly coated with the sauce.
9. Scoop chicken and rice mixture into serving bowls.
10. Top each bowl with a fried egg and sprinkle with scallions and fried garlic.
11. Finish with Pickled Vegetables and avocado.

Pickled Vegetables
Instructions:

• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 yellow or red pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4-inch ginger root, peeled, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
• 1 star anise

Instructions:

1. Mix onion and pepper in a bowl with salt for five minutes to remove excess moisture.
2. Combine white vinegar, sugar, water, ginger, bay leaf, mustard seeds and star anise to create the pickling liquid and let sit for 20 minutes.
3. Place pickling liquid in saucepot and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
4. Pour pickling liquid over peppers and onions and set aside until mixture is room temperature (about 15 minutes), then drain and set aside.

Wild Berry Frozen Yogurt & California Avocado Lime Fudge Parfait
Recipe created by CEO and co-founder Kim Malek and her team of Wiz Bang Bar for the California Avocado Commission

Serves: 4

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

• California Avocado Lime Fudge Sauce (see make-ahead recipe)
• Wild Berry Frozen Yogurt (see make-ahead recipe) 4 sliced strawberries or fresh lime zest (optional for garnish)

Instructions

1. Add one scoop of Wild Berry Frozen Yogurt to each glass.
2. Add ¼ cup California Avocado Lime Fudge Sauce to each glass.
3. Add one more scoop of the frozen yogurt to each glass.
4. Top off with ¼ cup of the fudge sauce.
5. Add a sliced strawberry or fresh lime zest (or both) on top to garnish.
6. Serve immediately.

California Avocado Lime Fudge Sauce
Ingredients

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. tapioca syrup (can be substituted with corn syrup or brown rice syrup)
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 3 tsp. lime juice
• 1/2 lime, zested
• 1 ripe, fresh California avocado, seeded, peeled and mashed

Instructions

1. Add the heavy cream, water, tapioca syrup and salt to a small pot, stir to combine.
2. Heat the mixture over medium heat, bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour in the white chocolate chips to make fudge mixture.
4. Pour fudge mixture into a blender, blend until smooth.
5. Allow the fudge to cool slightly.
6. Add lime juice and lime zest to the mashed avocado.
7. Add avocado mixture to fudge mixture in the blender, blend to combine, until smooth.
8. Pour into bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
9. Place in refrigerator to cool.

Wild Berry Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 4 cups mixed wild berries, fresh or frozen
• 1/3 cup tapioca syrup (can be substituted with corn syrup or brown rice syrup)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk plain yogurt

Instructions

1. Add the sugar, xanthan gum and salt in a small bowl, whisk to combine.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the mixed berries, tapioca syrup, water and sugar mixture.
3. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring often until mixture comes to a boil.
4. Remove from saucepan, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then pour into blender.
5. Blend to break up the berries (there will be seeds and a few flecks of berry skin still visible).
6. Pour blended berry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl; discard seeds.
7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to cool for a few hours.
8. Once berry mixture is cool, whisk in yogurt.
9. Freeze in a standard at-home ice cream maker; churn until the mixture is the desired texture of soft-serve yogurt.
10. Use a spatula to scoop the frozen yogurt into a freezer-safe container. (Frozen yogurt can be used right away or be stored, covered, in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.)

About the California Avocado Commission

Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to enhance the premium positioning of California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities. California avocados are commercially cultivated with uncompromising dedication to quality and freshness, by more than 2,000 growers in the Golden State. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry. Visit CaliforniaAvocado.com, or join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and @CA_Avocados on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for updates.