Avocado Ice Cream

Ever since I discovered how yummy the avocado shakes are at a Vietnamese restaurant back home in Memphis, I've been keen to try another sweet application for avocados.

So this weekend I made avocado ice cream, and I'm pleased to report that it's pretty good stuff. I couldn't lay my hands on any Haas avocados--which have the creamiest texture--so I used the Santa Cruz variety. They have a watery texture, but still, they work just fine. The result is wonderfully creamy, with a light, fresh flavor. Himself complained that the ice cream tastes a bit "green" and "planty," and I know what he means. I think it needs more lemon juice to balance out the intense avocadoness (how's THAT for a new word?). We drizzled a good balsamic vinegar over it (yeah, it looks like chocolate sauce in the photo), and the acid, extra sweetness and added oomph! of the rich balsamic really made the ice cream sing.

I'm going to tweak this recipe and keep working to devise an ice cream that will become a summer staple (I've just spotted another recipe that calls for coconut cream--sounds like a worthy experiment). With the huge fuerte avocado tree we have in our backyard that will soon begin pelting us with its bounty, we'll be able to make it often, without paying $2 per avocado. And the fuerte is creamier and more flavorful than the Santa Cruz. We may not miss the Haas at all...