Grilled Avocado and Papaya Salad
What happens when you bring your favourite fruits together? Absolute glory! It's not a secret that I'm a massive fan of both papaya (or pawpaw rather) and avocado. I love the taste and the textures. Both are versatile and plentiful in Zimbabwe, where I grew up. Still, although eating them raw is considered the healthiest way, I don't see what's wrong with throwing them on the grill for a little bit! You get those gorgeous marks and depth of the flavour while still maintaining some of the fruit's integrity.
As the weather warms, I also highly recommend getting a grill pan. You won't always be able to go outside but will want that effect. You can get the one I use on Amazon; here is the link. I’m a big believer in stocking up for the season by the way, get your kitchen essentials ready).
I'm happy with it so far; it's worth the investment!
As far as the treatment of each of these fruits, I pretty much did the same thing. Tossed in olive oil, herbs, and chilli flakes, the papaya's main differences were the nutmeg, the avocado the balsamic.
Note that when you're handling these, especially the avocado, careful not to break your slices! Use a small pair of kitchen tweezers or tongs to help.
I recommend this colourful, simple salad mix. You can get pretty creative with the additional elements. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 whole avocado, sliced thickly
1/2 pawpaw/papaya, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon truffle oil
1/4 cup sour cream or burrata
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mint leaves
Fresh parsley
Goat cheese
Parmesan shavings
Instructions
In one medium-sized bowl, toss the avocado with 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
In another bowl, toss the the diced pawpaw in 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Spray your grill pan and it over medium-high heat. Place the fruits on opposite sides of the pan to avoid muddling flavors, and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Keep a close eye, you want the flavours to seep in and to get the grill marks and char but don’t want to burn anything. if you need to add a bit more oil to finish off you can do so.
Once you are ready to serve, drizzle with the truffle oil, and season with extra black pepper, chili flakes, serving the the sour cream, and garnish with mint leaves and fresh parsley. This salad can serve two as a light start, or you can double the recipe quantities for more.
