Taco Salad

Intrigued by its dimpled, dark shell and promise of a yellow-green rainbow of silken flesh, I swooped the avocado from its perch on my pantry shelf and made passionate dinner.

The avocado, technically a berry of a flowering tree, was my muse. This seduction is not surprising, given what I just read from Wikipedia:

The word "avocado" comes from the Nahuatl word ahuakatl (testicle, a reference to the shape of the fruit). Historically avocados had a long-standing stigma as a sexual stimulant and were not purchased or consumed by any person wishing to preserve a chaste image. Avocados were known by the Aztecs as "the fertility fruit".


The dish I prepared, a taco salad, is one that appears regularly at my dinner table. The ingredients are staples in my fridge/pantry and the recipe is adaptable to both an ample or a tight budget, depending on your choice to use fresh produce versus canned goods. I find it fresh and satisfying:

Taco Salad

Steak or Chicken (skirt steak or chicken breasts is what I've used)
Olive oil
Meat seasonings with Mexican influence (see below)
Lime juice

Lettuce (I used spinach, but I like it with a crisp lettuce such as romaine)
Black beans
Yellow corn
Tomato
Avocado
Hot sauce

Last night I prepared my steak for grilling by rubbing it with olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, cayenne, cumin and oregano. After cooking my meat (grilling, searing or baking), I cut the steak into bite-sized pieces after it had rested, recollecting its juices. I then sprinkled the meat with lime juice.

To assemble the salad, I began by building a foundation of lettuce on my plate, topping it with black beans, corn, steak, chopped tomato and avocado in quantities to my liking. Instead of salad dressing, I topped the lovely pile with ample globs of hot sauce (though I like the idea of a well-paired vinaigrette).


Swallowing the last savory bite of this festive mess of a meal, I exhaled a sigh of satisfaction. My world was momentarily quieted and I felt full. Ahhh, avocado.