The Mellow, Mouth-Watering Avocado

They may not be so pretty on the outside, but once you cut into a ripe avocado and see the smooth, creamy fruit inside it can inspire all kinds of recipes, says cookbook author and cooking teacher Tori Ritchie.

In The Early Show's "Five-Minute Cooking School" Wednesday, Ritchie set out to prove that there's more to do with the pear-shaped dark green fruit than make it into a container of guacamole on Super Bowl Sunday.

Richie, with the help of The Early Show anchor Hannah Storm, created three very different dishes, including a spicy take on guacamole that will spoil you for the kind from the plastic container.

Chipotle Guacamole

This recipe calls for preparing the guacamole in a molcajete, a mortar and pestle carved from volcanic rock. One of the world's oldest kitchen tools, it was used by the Aztecs in Mexico for grinding corn into flour.

2 Tbs. finely minced white onion
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo, drained and minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more as needed
2 large avocados, preferably Haas
2 Tbs. finely minced fresh cilantro
For the garnish: 1 Tbs. small fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
1 Tbs. finely chopped white onion (optional)

Put the onion, lime juice, chipotle and the 1/2 tsp. salt in a molcajete or small bowl, and smash with a pestle or fork to a coarse paste. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into the tomato mixture.

Add the minced cilantro and mix and mash, leaving some lumps. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt.

If you want, sprinkle the guacamole with any or all of the garnishes and serve immediately, if possible. To keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface. To keep for up to 3 hours, do not add the cilantro until just before serving, and cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups.

Scallop, Mango and Avocado Salad

Look for uniformly-sized sea scallops about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. They should be pale ivory or have the lightest hint of pink, with a mild, sweet scent. The combination of scallops, mango and avocado results in a particularly rich salad. For a lighter course, omit the scallops.

For the chili-lime vinaigrette:
1/2 jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 mango
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
12 sea scallops
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups mixed salad greens
2 green onions, including tender green tops, sliced diagonally

To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the jalapeño and lime juice. Whisk in the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve. (The vinaigrette can be made up to 2 hours in advance.)

Stand the mango on one of its narrow sides on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut slightly off center, slicing off all the flesh from one side of the pit in a single piece. Repeat on the other side of the pit. Hold 1 section, flesh side up, in your hand. With the tip of the knife, score the flesh lengthwise and then crosswise, forming 1/2-inch cubes and taking care not to cut through the peel. Press against the center of the peel to force the cubes upward, then run the knife along the base of the cubes to free them, allowing them to drop into a nonreactive bowl. Repeat with the remaining section. Add the avocado and lime juice to the mango cubes and toss together. Set aside.

Preheat a broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Put the melted butter in a shallow bowl. Add the scallops and turn to coat lightly. Arrange the scallops on the baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Slip the scallops under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat source and broil until golden on top, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the scallops over and broil until the tops are golden and the centers are nearly translucent, about 1 minute more. Remove from the broiler.

In a bowl, toss the salad greens with half of the vinaigrette and divide them among chilled individual plates. Divide the mango and avocado cubes evenly among the salad greens, scattering them on top. Place 3 scallops on each salad. Add any pan juices from the scallops to the remaining vinaigrette, stir to mix, and then drizzle the vinaigrette on and around the scallops. Garnish the salads with the green onions and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from "Williams-Sonoma, Entertaining," Edited by Chuck Williams (Oxmoor House, 2004).

Avocado Soup with Shrimp and Salsa
Usually served chilled, this Latin American soup is also delicious at room temperature. The zesty tomato salsa provides a lively contrast to the rich and creamy flavor of the avocado. Fresh cooked crabmeat can be substituted for the shrimp, if you like.

3 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
3 cups chicken stock, or as needed
1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the tomato salsa:
1 1/2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup finely minced red onion
2 or 3 jalapeño chilies, finely minced, with or without seeds, to taste
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 Tbs. lemon or lime juice, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 to 16 cooked shrimp, peeled and diced

Working in 2 or 3 batches, combine the avocados, stock and cream in a blender. Puree until smooth. Adjust the amount of cream used as needed to arrive at a good soup consistency. Transfer to a bowl. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cold but not overly chilled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the tomato salsa: In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, chilies, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well, taste and adjust the seasonings.

To serve, remove the soup from the refrigerator, taste and adjust the seasonings. Ladle the soup into chilled individual bowls. Top each serving with some of the diced shrimp and a generous dollop of the salsa. Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from "Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series: Soup for Supper," by Joyce Goldstein (Time-Life Books, 1998).