(NaturalNews) Delicious and healthy, the fresh avocado, often referred to as the alligator pear, is loaded with nutrients and heart healthy fats, making a perfect snack or side dish for a meal. Storing the unused portion of a fresh avocado inappropriately generally results in an inedible, brown, slimy mess that must be thrown away. According to Alton Brown, well-known food expert and chef from the Food Network, the secret to keeping the other half of a cut ripe avocado green is in the preserving method.
1. Slice the skin lengthwise using a sharp knife all the way around cutting through the fresh
avocado until you hit the pit. You should end up with the fresh
fruit being cut in two halves but still attached.
2. Hold the two sides in your hands and gently twist to separate the two halves. One portion will be removed from the pit and the other will still retain the pit.
3. Use the half of the ripe avocado in your meal that has been released from the pit, unless of course you plan to use the whole avocado. If using only half, drizzle fresh lemon juice over the remaining portion leaving the pit in the fruit. This is the secret to keeping the avocado fresh and from preventing it from turning grayish-brown after cutting.
4. Slide into a plastic baggie and press out the air, sealing the baggie.
5. Store the cut ripe avocado half with pit intact in the fridge, where the cold will discourage additional ripening, says Brown. It should stay fresh for about two days if stored in this manner.
6. To use, remove the remaining half from the baggie; remove the pit by sticking it with the tip of a sharp knife gently twisting to remove. Scrape the surface of the still-fresh avocado with the knife to remove any slight discoloration and remove the remainder of the flesh from the skin. Delicious and perfectly edible, this portion of the fresh avocado should still be fresh enough to enjoy in any dish.
Tip:Keep the pit and put back in your guacamole if there are leftovers. Cover the bowl tightly and
store in the refrigerator for eating the next day. The pit will help keep the fresh avocado
green rather than turning brown.
Sources:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf845013.tip.htmlhttp://chowhound.chow.com/topics/336309http://www.kitchensavvy.com/journal/2005/01/refrigerating_a.htmlAbout the author
Susan Laverie is a freelance
writer whose focus is on alternative healthcare, holistic
nutrition, foods that heal and green living. Laverie has written articles for Homeopathy Today, The American Homeopath, LiveStrong.com and Suite101.com, as well as elsewhere online. With a passion for history and design, her hobby has been collecting and selling antique jewelry. Having retired from practicing classical
homeopathy and natural medicine for 25 years, Susan now spends much of her time writing about
health, nutrition and alternative methods for healing body, mind and spirit.
Follow her at
http://www.suite101.com/writer_articles.cfm/susanlavery and on Facebook at
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