Avocado & Cranberry "Salsa"*

Last Saturday night, Z, Sebastian, Jake, and I headed to Orinoco for dinner. We anticipated a wait at this tiny restaurant (read the complete review of a past dinner at Orinoco here), so we decided to have some wine and an hors d'oeuvres at Z's apartment, which is right across the street. I was happily put in charge of the food, so I decided to make one of my favorite recipes, adapted from Martha Stewart: a guacamole-esque Avocado & Cranberry Salsa. Z made some spicy pita crisps to go along with it.

Avocado-Cranberry Salsa

Serves 4;
Prep time: 20 minutes; Total time: 20 minutes


1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 minced jalapeño (optional)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Pita Crisps (see recipe below) or tortilla chips

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 minced jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat, if desired), and 1/4 cup chopped red onion.
2. Add 2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, 3/4 cup halved dried cranberries, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper; toss gently to combine. Serve with Pita Crisps or tortilla chips, as desired.

To make Z's Pita Crisps: Preheat oven to 350°. Split 2 pitas in half horizontally. Brush both sides with 3 tablespoons olive oil; season with coarse salt, ground pepper, and a dusting of chili powder. Cut into triangles; spread on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until crisp, 10 minutes.

*I put salsa in quotes here because I think this more closely resembles a guacamole...