Avocado Caprese Salad
UCLA’s Bruin Plate Restaurant
Los Angeles
Caprese salad has Italian roots, but at the Bruin Plate restaurant at UCLA, the kitchen flavors it with a Thai-accented dressing. The salad contrasts the season's juicy, ripe tomatoes with creamy avocado slices. Feta cheese stands in for the mozzarella used in the classic version. This cross-cultural prep appeals to students’ adventurous palates.
Ingredients
Kaffir lime and avocado vinaigrette
6 tbsp. lime juice
1 kaffir lime leaf
¼ cup diced avocado
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¾ cup avocado oil
Salad
12 slices whole-wheat baguette, cut 1/2 -in. thick
Olive oil
3 avocados, peeled, seeded and sliced ¼-in thick
3 tomatoes, sliced 3/8-in thick
12 oz. sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Steps
1. For vinaigrette, in deep container, combine lime juice, lime leaf, diced avocado, salt and pepper. Puree mixture with an immersion blender to combine. Slowly drizzle in avocado oil while blending until emulsified. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place baguette slices on greased or parchment-lined sheet pan; lightly brush with olive oil. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown; cool.
3. For each serving, alternate 3 tomato slices and 3 avocado slices, fanning out across the plate. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons crumbled feta over each; drizzle with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Place a toasted baguette slice on each plate.
Photograph courtesy of California Avocado Commission