Avocado Corn Salsa

This recipe makes a huge amount of Avocado Corn Salsa. Not only is it healthy but it's really beautiful to look at because it's so colorful.

• 1-16 oz. package of frozen corn, thawed
• 1-15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1-small sweet onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 T. cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 ripe avocados

In a large bowl, combine corn, beans, red pepper, onion and garlic. In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well then pour over corn mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to marry.

Just before serving, chop avocado and stir into corn salsa. Serve Avocado Corn Salsa with Frito or Tortilla Scoops. Makes about 7 cups.

You might also want to try another recipe using avocados, my Best Guacomole Ever recipe. Add pumpkin seeds for a nutty crunch.

How To Cut An Avocado for Corn Salsa

Whether you are making Avocado Corn Salsa, my Guacomole recipe or another favorite that requires this buttery fruit (commonly thought of as a vegetable but it's not), you need to know how to choose an avocado and safely cut one up.

When I was first married, I could buy 4 avocados for a a dollar. I had never purchased them myself before that but had eaten guacomole and was determined to learn how to cut an avocado so I could make our favorite appetizer.

There was no Food Network around at the time to teach me how to prepare one so I did the best I could. To this day, I still use the technique I discovered more than 25 years ago.

The most important part of cutting an avocado really has to do with how ripe it is. The perfect ripeness for any avocado dish is when they are black in color (Hass variety) and are firm but have a bit of softness.

You don't want an avocado to be too soft or they will be veiny and blackish inside and you don't want them too hard or they will have no flavor and will be difficult to cut. With the perfect avocado in hand:

• Take a chef's knife and cut lengthwise all the way around the seed so that you end up with two halves, one with the seed still in it.
• Next, take your knife and firmly hit the seed so that the blade sticks in the seed. Twist the knife and the seed will pop out.
• Using a tablespoon, scoop out both sides of the avocado and place on a cutting board.
• Slice or chop depending on recipe

Avocado will brown very quickly so if you are not eating it immediately, sprinkle it with lime or lemon juice. Another option is to keep it on a plate or cutting board and lay cling wrap over it pressing out all the air and sealing tightly on all sides. This will keep it fresh for one day at most.

Watch this video from AllRecipes.com. You will learn how to determine when an avocado is ripe and their technique for removing the seed and dicing it up, then try our corn salsa or guacomole.