Avocado and Tomato Salad

I wanted something simple to make. This one turned out to be a fresh, light, delicious salad. I can't remember where I got this recipe, but I have been using it for some time, playing with adding or deleting ingredients.

Here are some suggestions: Use grape or cherry tomatoes. Use lime instead of lemon.

You can also use balsamic vinegar instead of the red wine vinegar, but make sure you use a white one as traditional brown will not make it so attractive.

Add feta cheese or goat cheese for an elegant touch.

Use red onions instead of shallots.

There is just no end to the changes you can make and still have a really tasty salad.

Make sure that you serve this salad right away. If you keep it around the avocados start getting soft.

AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients:
2 medium avocados, halved and skin removed
1 lemon, juiced
3 tomatoes, quartered, deseeded and finely diced
1/2 bunch of shallots, finely sliced
1 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded, finely diced
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 bunch arugula leaves, rinsed
3 oz black olives
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Combine mustard, vinegar, garlic and olive oil in a small jar with lid and shake well.

Place the tomato, shallots, cucumber and basil in a small bowl, add the dressing and mix to combine.

Drizzle the lemon juice over the avocado halves. Use a small knife to remove a 1/2 inch slice of the rounded side of the avocado half. Place the avocado halves on serving plates. Divide the tomato salad equally among the four avocado halves.

Garnish with arugula leaves and black olives.

Makes 4 servings