Mexican Style Potato Salad with Avocado Salsa

Avocados are one of those fruits that, like grapes and bananas, I almost always have at home. Everyone in my family likes them, and since they are also very nutritious and healthy, why not always have them handy? Philip, my younger son likes them, as i call it, the American way, accompanied by cottage cheese with chopped chives on top. I like them plain with lime or lemon juice, cilantro and fresh tomatoes. Sometimes if they are about to go bad I chop them and add to arugula salad, sprinkle with walnuts or pumpkin seeds, lemon juice and walnut oil. An excellent salad to be served after any light dinner.

The only trick with avocados is to catch them at the right moment. I prefer to buy hard avocados and let them ripen at home than buy them soft, already touched by too many hands, and often blackish inside. When avocados reach the perfect soft state they can be stored for a couple of days in a refrigerator where they will not go bad too fast.

My new discovery has been this potato and avocado salad. It seemed a bit of a strange combination since both avocado and potatoes are mild in taste, but the addition of tomatoes and crispy pepper make this salad rather refreshing.

Potato Salad with Avocado Salsa
(Serves four)

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, peeled off,
1 large ripe avocado,
1 yellow bell pepper,
1 medium onion, chopped,
4 medium tomatoes, sliced,
1 garlic clove, minced,
1 tbsp olive oil,
2 tsp lime or lemon juice,
3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves,
1 green chili, if you like it spicy,
salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:
1. Slice the potatoes and cook them for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain them and let them cool down.
2. Prepare the salsa. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit. Place the avocado in a medium bowl. Using fork mash the flesh.
3. Add olive oil, chopped onion, lime juice, garlic, and chopped chili, if used. Mix well.

4. Slice the tomatoes and and cut the bell pepper into thin strips. Mix them together.
5. On a large serving plate arrange a layer of potatoes, follow with a layer of tomato and yellow bell pepper slices, Top with avocado salsa, chopped coriander, and season with salt and pepper.