cheese & avocado salad? you bet.

So, I guess this could technically be called a "salad"....it could also technically be called a "fruit salad" as well, which is bizarre. Regardless, this is a solid combination of goodies! It's inspired by my favorite sandwich of all time, from the now defunct Frankies Spuntino on the LES...the cheese and avocado sandwich! I never thought I would have a longing for a sandwich, but apparently that is a thing that can legitimately happen.   I thought I would fiddle around with the components of the sandwich and see how it turned out.  I'll tell you how: AMAZING.  I literally devoured this.  So give it a shot! 

Literally these are the only things in the world you need for deliciousness...at least for the time being.  The Sriracha bitters can be omitted, because it's obviously not the most accessible ingredient.  But real sriracha is a must!

Cheese & Avocado Salad
Serves 2
1 avocado
2 Pink Lady apples
1/2 cup sprouts (these are clover and arugula sprouts)
A small block of good cheddar - I used 2-yr aged Grafton Cheddar
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Sriracha!

So here's the deal! Obviously, I have a thing for plating dishes, so my rendition is more complicated than it really has to be.  For the purpose of ease, you can make a rough chop of the avocado and apples as opposed to getting all crazy.  But what's the fun in that!? I took one of the apples and thinly sliced it whole with the mandolin to create a base for the salad.  Just a few slices for each plate.  Next, half the avocado, remove the pit, and cut each side again in half.   Peel away the skin from the avocado and discard - a properly ripened avocado should peel away easily.  With two of the wedges, thinly slice (not all the way through both ends) and fan out, placing it atop the apple slices.   Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper.  

Next, make an avocado and apple brunoise.  Combine the apple and avocado pieces in a bowl, and toss with about 1-2 T of good olive oil, a pinch of salt and a solid cracking of black pepper.  Toss to combine.  In a separate bowl, season the sprouts.  Add about 1 T olive oil, and 1/2t of sriracha.  You could use more sriracha if you like, but don't get too aggressive!

Separate the sprouts between each place, as well as the brunoise.  Sprinkle the brunoise around the entire plate.  To finish, peel a bunch of cheddar over each plate. Grab a fork and knife, and enjoy!

Full disclosure, I put more sriracha on my salad at the end...because I'm obsessed with sriracha.  Not necessary though if you don't want that level of heat!  This really turned out great, and may be a mainstay in my repertoire.  Apples and cheddar are a timeless combination, so we don't really need to get into that.  The avocado adds a depth of creaminess to the dish, while the sprouts add that nice vegetal tang.  The sriracha gives it nice kick, as well as a hint of the familiar sriracha flavor.  Finally, the aged cheddar adds a level of umami that wouldn't really be reached without it.  Such a great combination, and super healthy at that.  Get out and make this asap!