Grilled Avocados with Shrimp Salad: Guest Post by Home Skillet

I am so excited to bring you my first every Guest Post today! As I've mentioned a billion times, food blogging has led to the discovery of some incredibly creative and talented people. I am continually amazed by the people I meet and the recipes I find on the web. When I win the lottery, I'm totally buying my own tv channel that I'll call the Foodblog Network. I'm going to give shows to all my amazing foodie blogger friends. One such show will feature Jen and Seth, the amazing husband and wife team behind Home Skillet.

Jen and Seth live in sunny Southern California with their hungry toddler Max. I love their blog because they find new and interesting ways to dress up simple and tasty recipes. I completely fell in love with these adorable Whale Grilled Cheese with Broccoli, Garlic and Caramelized Onion. My favorite feature of their blog is all the amazing dips they come up with. As they explain on their blog, all three members of their household enjoy dipping things, which I think is a love many of us share. Here are just a few of my favorites: Creamy Egg Marinara Breakfast Dip, Spicy Chorizo Dip, Smooth and Creamy Carrot Tahini Dip, Carbonara Dip with Brie and Pancetta, and Roasted Cauliflower Dippers with Smoked Paprika Dip.

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Hi, we are Jenn and Seth from Home Skillet, and we are so super excited to be here today!  We absolutely love Dara’s blog, everything is so healthy, fresh, and delicious – and accompanied by gorgeous photos!  Like her Thai marinated skirt steak – YUM!  And her asparagus potato salad?  We didn’t even think we liked potato salad but this sounds absolutely fantastic! So who are we?

When not animating computer generated characters, or playing video games, Seth can be found obsessing over food.  When Jenn is not chasing around our toddler, or reading, she too can be found obsessing over food (and chapstick).  Over the last few years, our joint passion for food has taken on a life of its own and manifested itself as the blog, Home Skillet.  Above all, Home Skillet is a task master.  It forces us to stay on our toes, and continually try new culinary things.  We love it for that.  However, Home Skillet is also our way to give a little something back to the food community, from which, over the years, we have taken so much.  As for us, personally, we like to be goofy, annoy each other, and pretend our toddler, Max, is a little object made of pie… and loud noises.  The ocean is our battery pack, fueling us to be productive… and unproductive.  Day trips, short adventures, building and painting things, we like all of that.  We love quality entertainment: Television series like Mad Men, Always Sunny, Breaking Bad and Downton Abbey, and quirky movies like Metropolitan, The Extra Man, and Rushmore.  Documentaries of all kinds, books, video games… How can two people be summed up in a paragraph?  No idea.  Let’s just get to the recipe…

I think about avocados a lot.  It is our little guy’s favorite food.  As in, he pretty much needs an avocado every day or he becomes ever so displeased.  So I see them just about every day.  Plus we live in southern California and there is a rule written somewhere that you must consume massive amounts of avocados (or maybe I just wish there was).  Eventually, after taking out my umpteenth pit from an avocado, I heard the call.  The call emanating from deep within the cavity left from the pit.  It told me to fill it back up.  I was like, of course!  Of course I will!  So I thought about things that I could fill it up with, and settled on shrimp.  Because, why not shrimp?

Spicy Shrimp Salad in Grilled Avocados

Ingredients:

½ pound shrimp

½ cup diced cucumber

1 thai chile, minced

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

½ teaspoon orange zest, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chopped tarragon, plus more for serving

3 tablespoons aioli

salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, halved and pitted

Aioli:

2 egg yolks

1 cup canola oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Make the aoili. We like to whisk mayonnaise by hand, though others find the food processor easier to use for this.  To use this method, place the egg yolks in a small bowl, place a cup of oil next to you, and keep a tablespoon handy.  Use a whisk to break up the egg yolks in the bowl. Add a tablespoon of oil.  Whisk that into the egg yolks so the yolks absorb it.  Then repeat.  And repeat.  Just be patient.  It will probably take about 10 minutes to get through all the oil.  Then stir in the garlic and lime juice.  Refrigerate.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add the shrimp and cook until pink and done – about 3-4 minutes.  Remove and place in a bowl of ice water to cool.  

3. Dice the shrimp once they have cooled.  Place the diced shrimp in a medium bowl.

4. Add the diced cucumber and minced thai chile.  Mix it all together.  

5. In a small bowl, mix together orange juice, ½ teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons tarragon, and 3 tablespoons of the aioli.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

6. Stir the orange and aioli mixture into the shrimp and cucumber mixture. Refrigerate. 

7. Heat charcoal or gas grill to high heat (around 400 degrees).

8. Using a paper towel or dish rag, coat cooking grates with a thin layer of canola oil.  Place halved avocados on grill, cut side down.  Cover, and come back in about 3-5 minutes to check on them.  Once the bottoms have a nice char, remove from grill. 

9. Spoon shrimp salad into each of the halves of avocado.  Sprinkle orange zest and tarragon on top. Then eat!

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How fantastic is this recipe? Grilling avocados? Stuffing avocados? This is why I need more Californians in my life. I have no clue what to do with avocado beyond making guac. 

So. Everyone immediately stop over at Jen and Seth's blog, Home Skillet to say hello. Make sure to follow their blog and hit them on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest ASAP. 

While you're there, make sure to bookmark their Glazed Chocolate Chip Scones with Rosemary and Cara Cara Orange, Homemade Pop Tarts, and Lime Spiced Cashews. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing Jen and Seth here at Gen Y Foodie. I am so thrilled they agreed to be my first guest post! I feel honored to get to know them and their awesome and tasty blog. Thanks so much guys!!!