Editing Avocado (section)

=== Culinary ===
{{Cookbook}}{{See also|List of avocado dishes}}

The fruit of horticultural cultivars has a markedly higher fat content than most other fruit, mostly [[monounsaturated fat]], and as such serves as an important staple in the diet of consumers who have limited access to other fatty foods (high-fat meats and fish, dairy products). Having a high [[smoke point]], [[avocado oil]] is expensive compared to common [[salad oil|salad]] and [[cooking oil]]s, and is mostly used for salads or [[dip (food)|dips]].

A ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure when held in the palm of the hand and squeezed. The flesh is prone to [[enzymatic browning]], quickly turning brown after exposure to air.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Fruit & Nuts|year=2008|publisher=CABI|location=Oxfordshire, England|isbn=978-0-85199-638-7|page=440|editor=Jules Janick}}</ref> To prevent this, [[lime (fruit)|lime]] or lemon juice can be added to avocados after peeling.

The fruit is not sweet, but distinctly and subtly flavored, with smooth texture.<ref name="morton" /> It is used in both savory and sweet dishes, though in many countries not for both. The avocado is common in [[vegetarian cuisine]] as a substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content.

Generally, avocado is served raw, though some cultivars, including the common 'Hass', can be cooked for a short time without becoming bitter. The flesh of some avocados may be rendered inedible by heat. Prolonged cooking induces this chemical reaction in all cultivars.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.1970.tb00962.x |title=Heat-Induced Off-Flavor in Avocado Flesh |journal=Journal of Food Science |volume=35 |issue=4 |pages=478–482 |year=1970 |last1=Bates |first1=Robert P }}</ref>

It is used as the base for the Mexican dip known as [[guacamole]],<ref name="morton" /> as well as a spread on [[corn tortillas]] or toast, served with spices. Avocado is a primary ingredient in [[avocado soup]]. Avocado slices are frequently added to hamburgers and ''[[tortas]]'' and is a key ingredient in [[California roll]]s and other ''[[makizushi]]'' ("maki", or rolled [[sushi]]).

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Sliced avocado.jpg|Sliced avocado
File:Guacomole.jpg|A [[guacamole]] mix (right) used as a dip for [[tortilla chip]]s (left)
File:2014 avocado salad tomato salsa toasted baguette.jpg|[[Avocado toast]]
File:Avocado lamaw (Avocado in milk and sugar, chilled or with ice), Philippines 04.jpg|[[Avocado and milk in ice|Avocado in milk and sugar]], a traditional dish from the Philippines where avocados are regarded as a dessert fruit, rather than savory
File:IndonesianFood JusAlpokat.JPG|[[Indonesian cuisine|Indonesian-style]] avocado milkshake with chocolate syrup
File:2015-08-08 09.11.34 unusual avocado (the fertility testicle fruit) variety from Cebu Philippines 2.jpg|Unusual avocado variety from Cebu, Philippines
File:Mocha almond fudge avocado cake (4673005762).jpg|A mocha almond fudge avocado layer cake. Avocado is present within the layers of the cake.
</gallery>