Holy guacamole! High price of avocados means using them sparingly

This recipe is adapted — just barely — from one that chef Kaelin Trilling with Bajo Sexto Taco in Nashville gave me. Unlike other guac recipes, everything but the avocado is pureed, then folded into the avocado, so there are no weird chunks of white onion to bite into. And no garlic, thank you very much.

• 3 medium Hass avocados (or 4 smallish ones)
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 1 small serrano chile or half of 1 jalapeño, seeds included
•  1/2 Roma tomato, seeds removed
• 1/4 white onion, about 1/4 cup diced
• Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges, for serving
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Halve the avocados, remove the seeds and put the flesh in a bowl.

2. Put cilantro, serrano or jalapeño, tomato, onion and lime juice in a food processor or blender and puree. Add to the avocados and, using two knives, incorporate and gently slice through the avocados, ensuring that they stay chunky. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 261 calories, 23 grams fat, 15 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, no cholesterol, 54 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber, 73 percent of calories from fat.

When you take away the garlic and anchovy punch of a Caesar and dial up the Parmesan, you’re left with something like this, a lighter salad more fitting for the summer.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 medium avocado, chopped
• Parmesan vinaigrette, recipe follows
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan, for serving

1. Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add corn. Turn as necessary, letting them brown as evenly as possible. Set aside to cool, then remove kernels with a sharp knife. Note: You may do this in advance.

2. Chop romaine in 1-inch-wide strips and toss into a large bowl. Add corn and avocado and half of the vinaigrette and toss. Taste for seasonings. Serve on individual plates and add curls of Parmesan and fresh pepper.

Parmesan vinaigrette

Makes about 1  1/4 cups

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or Mexican hot sauce (I like Tapatio)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup olive oil

Put all of the ingredients except the olive oil in blender. Mix until blended. Slowly, while the mixer is running, add oil until the vinaigrette comes together. Taste for seasonings. Keep refrigerated.

Nutritional analysis per serving, based on 2, with vinaigrette: 872 calories, 80 grams fat, 37 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams protein, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 242 milligrams sodium, 12 grams dietary fiber, 78 percent of calories from fat.

A variation of my go-to summer salad, with avocados added for a creamy, nutty note. The tomatoes and cukes are the foundation of this Greek-inspired salad, but it’s quite forgiving and you can dial up or down the ingredients, depending on what you have on hand — if you have leftover pita bread, toast and toss that in, too.

• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
•  1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup feta crumbles, plus more for serving
• 1 English cucumber, seeds removed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 pound tomatoes, chopped (I use a mix of what I’ve found at the farmers market.)
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

1. Make vinaigrette: Put shallot, mustard, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste in a blender and mix until blended. While the blender is running, add the oil. Fold in feta. Note: You can make this in advance.

2. To assemble salad, put the chopped cucumber, avocado, tomatoes and herbs in a large bowl. Add some of the vinaigrette (I usually go with about  1/3, then add more if needed), toss and taste for seasonings.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 382 calories, 37 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 136 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 83 percent of calories from fat.

Easy to make, healthy and light, these tostadas will make you wonder why you’ve been getting so fancy with salmon when a taco-inspired something — always — will do.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
•  1/2 pound (8 ounces) wild salmon (skin on)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 to 8 corn tortillas
• Small handful of cilantro
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 1/2 jalapeño, chopped
• 1 to 2 medium avocados
• Lime wedges, for serving

1. Heat oven to broil.

2. Put olive oil all over salmon and place it in an ovenproof dish. Salt and pepper the salmon and cook in oven for 6 minutes or until it’s slightly firm but still gives a bit when you touch it. Let it cool, then flake it with a fork.

3. Warm tortillas in the oven.

4. Make the salsa: Put cilantro, lime juice, shallot, jalapeño and salt to taste in blender or food processor. Blend until it’s well combined and a fine, pourable salsa.

5. To serve, lay tortillas on serving plates, then avocado (about  1/4 of an avocado per tortilla) on top. Add some of the salmon, then drizzle with salsa. Serve limes on the side.

Nutritional analysis per serving, based on 6: 188 calories, 9 grams fat, 18 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams protein, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 75 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.