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Anchovy Avocado and Seaweed Cucumber Boats

This simple dish is how I envisage umami. Salty anchovies balanced with zesty lemon juice and fresh coriander all enhanced by the taste and crunch of nori seaweed. Big bold and intense flavours of the topping are paired perfectly with the diametrically opposed fresh cucumber base.

Anchovy Avocado and Seaweed Cucumber Boats


These can be served a multitude of ways:
- as a light lunch without cutlery
- the anchovy avocado mix can be served on a big bed of leaves for a more formal affair
- slice the cucumber into discs and top with a blob of anchovy avocado mix to make small bite-size portions to serve as canapes
- for a picnic, the anchovy avocado mix can be packed in a container alongside a pile of lettuce 'cups' or sheets of nori and wrapped al fresco

Very finely chopped red onion works well in the topping mix but I really don't enjoy raw onion in my salad so feel free to add or omit as preferred.


Anchovy Avocado and Seaweed Cucumber Boats

Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free


Serves 1

Ingredients:
1/2 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
6-8 anchovy fillets in olive oil, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil reserved from jar of anchovies, or EVOO
1 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1/4 lemon)
1 small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 sheet nori seaweed, cut into matchsticks
 fresh ground black pepper
1/2 medium cucumber (approx 15cm), halved lengthways and watery middle scooped out
sesame seeds for garnish

optional: 1 tbsp finely chopped red onion

Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, mash avocado with lemon juice to stop it discolouring.
2. Add anchovies, olive oil and coriander (and red onion if using). Mix through to combine.
3. Add 3/4 of the nori matchsticks and gently fold through. They lose their crunch almost immediately upon contact with moisture.
4. Season with black pepper.
5. Divide and scoop mix into the two cucumber halves.
6. Scatter over the reserved crunchy nori matchsticks and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

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