Father’s Day: Avocado Pepper Cup

I have been celebrating my father long-distance, on Father’s Day, for quite a few years now. Ironically, when I was growing up at my father’s, so to say, we did not know about this celebratory day.

My father is a foodie with an adventurous, discerning palate and is quick to teach a lesson or two to even our seasoned family cook -who has years of experience in a professional kitchen- at the speck of an opportunity. He has always encouraged me to experiment and continues to be my loudest cheer-leader! I combine his favorite ingredients here to create this especially for him and hopefully it will meet his exacting standards. [My tasters did wolf it down enthusiastically, I must say.]

Special tools:

Toaster oven.

Ingredients

• 1 Hass avocado
• 1 long California green pepper, deseeded and finely diced
• 1 egg, lightly beaten, with a pinch of salt and black pepper
• Topping: a few halved cherry tomatoes; sea salt

Method

Prepare the avocado by halving it and removing the seed. Gently run your knife in criss-cross parallel lines while cupping the half with the other hand. Using a spoon gently separate the flesh from the skin, without tearing it, and leave the flesh in. Sprinkle with sea salt and place on an oven proof platter.

Mix the egg and the pepper and pour into the two halves of the prepared avocado. Bake at 450-500 F in the toaster oven for 3-5 minutes or until the eggs are done to your liking. Top with the tomatoes, sprinkle sea salt and serve hot.

Notes, hints, tips:

1. Another option is to toast it with the toppings on; so the tomatoes get lightly roasted. I would recommend this if your tomatoes are not at the peakest of season.
2. If you don’t have a convenient table-top toaster oven, broil in a regular oven. Keep a very keen eye on it though.
3. Deseeding the pepper is optional- provided you are comfortable with some pepper-heat. Also, important to finely dice the pepper; if you are not on the top of your knife skills, fee free to use a “chop-o-matic” (or some such doodad) or a processor (not a blender!).
4. You can use herbs instead of the pepper. Remember that there is little space in the avocado; so it has to be chopped very fine to reduce the overall volume.