Setting the table for a leisurely lunch and knowing that nobody needs to rush off afterwards is a lovely way to live. Since retiring, I have come to enjoy these little gatherings with friends more than ever. We chat over a cup of tea, catch up on family news and enjoy something delicious without making a great fuss in the kitchen. My Seafood Avocado Lunch is just the sort of dish I love to serve on such occasions.
Avocado makes a wonderful starting point for a light lunch. When perfectly ripe, its flesh is soft, creamy and full of flavour. Cut in half, it creates a natural little bowl that looks attractive on the plate. I like to scoop out a little of the centre, leaving enough avocado around the edges to keep its shape. It is such a simple idea, yet the finished dish looks as though you have spent far longer preparing it.
The seafood filling is where the real magic happens. A lovely mixture of seafood, folded through a creamy mayonnaise dressing, brings plenty of flavour without making the lunch feel too heavy. Depending on what is available, prawns, crab meat or a mixture of seafood can all work beautifully. I particularly enjoy the delicate sweetness of the seafood against the rich, buttery avocado.
Of course, presentation matters when friends come to lunch. I always think we eat with our eyes first, and this dish certainly makes a pretty picture. The seafood mixture sits neatly inside each avocado half, while a scattering of finely diced tomato adds a cheerful splash of colour. The red tomato against the pale green avocado makes the whole plate look fresh and inviting.
I prefer to serve these avocados on individual plates with a few salad leaves alongside. A little cucumber, some crisp lettuce and perhaps a slice of freshly baked bread make lovely companions. However, there is no need to overcomplicate things. The avocado and seafood are the stars of the show, so I let them take centre stage.
Another reason I enjoy serving this lunch is that it leaves me plenty of time with my guests. There is no last-minute frying, stirring or worrying about whether everything will be ready together. Instead, I can prepare much of the dish beforehand and finish the presentation just before everyone sits down. That is exactly how I like entertaining these days. Good food should bring people together, not leave the cook stuck in the kitchen.
This is also a lovely choice for warmer days when a large, hot meal feels rather too much. The cool, creamy filling and fresh tomato topping make every mouthful pleasant and satisfying. Furthermore, the individual portions look elegant enough for a special lunch, even though the idea itself is wonderfully straightforward.
I sometimes serve Seafood Avocado Lunch before a simple fruit dessert or a small helping of something homemade. After all, when friends visit, it is the whole experience that matters. A comfortable table, a delicious lunch and a few hours of happy conversation are often all anyone needs.
It is fresh, colourful, easy to serve and just a little bit special. Sometimes, a perfectly ripe avocado filled with lovely seafood is quite enough to make an ordinary afternoon feel like an occasion.
Seafood Avocado Lunch
Ingredients
Five Main Ingredients:
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 150 g prawns cooked peeled and ready to eat
- 100 g white crab meat cooked
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 medium tomato ripe finely diced
Larder Ingredients:
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- salad leaves to serve
Instructions
Prepare the avocados:
- Cut each avocado in half lengthways and remove the stone carefully. Use a spoon to scoop out a little of the flesh, leaving enough around the edges to keep each half intact. Place the removed flesh in a mixing bowl and mash it lightly.2 large ripe avocados
Prepare the seafood:
- Chop the prawns into smaller pieces if they are large. Check the crab meat for any pieces of shell, then add it to the bowl with the avocado.150 g prawns, 100 g white crab meat
Make the filling:
- Add the mayonnaise and gently mix everything together. You want a creamy filling with plenty of texture rather than a completely smooth mixture.3 tbsp mayonnaise
Season to taste:
- Add the optional lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Stir gently, then taste the mixture. Add a little more lemon juice if you prefer a fresher, sharper flavour.1 tsp lemon juice, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Fill the avocado halves:
- Spoon the seafood mixture into the hollows of the four avocado halves. Divide the filling evenly so each portion looks generous.
Add the tomato topping:
- Scatter the finely diced tomato over the seafood filling. The bright colour makes the finished dish look fresh and inviting.1 medium tomato
Serve:
- Arrange two avocado halves on each plate. Add a few salad leaves if desired and serve immediately.salad leaves