Beer Battered Avocados & Jalapenos

Holy guacamole!  I made beer battered avocados and jalapenos and boy were they good.

This week I was so preoccupied on my projects that I didn't take the time to meal plan and go grocery shopping.  As much as I love to plan, I secretly enjoy when I do this because it forces me to be creative in the kitchen.  Looking around my kitchen I decided to make a side dish that was inspired by a meal I had at Rock Bottom Brewery.  It was a limited time special (of course it was!) that came with my plank grilled fish as the side: fried avocado rings.  It had the perfect amount of crunchy batter with a creamy deliciousness inside.  Seriously it was heaven. Sadly I have yet to find this side dish again at a restaurant so it was about time I made it.

I didn't follow any particular recipe and instead just whipped up a beer batter recipe that I have used for onion rings and chicken.  I ended up with so much extra batter that I looked for something else in my kitchen to fry and that resulted in my fried (fresh) jalapenos.

Now let's make the beer batter...

First you need one cup of flour.

Next you need one egg.  Beat it and mix in with the flour.

Then add 1 tsp of garlic powder and 1/2 tsp of black pepper.

And of course, one cup of beer.  This part of the recipe requires you to drink the beer left in the can / bottle as you cook.  You're welcome.



Mix it all together.  You can essentially use this
beer batter for anything you fry: onions, chicken, zucchini, pickles, fish, etc.  Usually I use my hands or a fork to coat the food in the batter but with the avocados being soft and delicate you will want to use a slotted spoon.

 I tried to make avocado rings but was unsuccessful so it was more like avocado chunks.  For the fresh (NOT canned / jarred) jalapenos I just sliced into coins and removed the seeds.  If you are unfamiliar with fresh jalapenos just remember that the seeds and veins are where the heat is.  Be very careful in handling them!  Avoid touching your eyes and wash your hands.  In fact, you may want to wear plastic gloves or even use plastic baggies on your hands.

If you don't have a fryer (I don't)  then just heat some oil in a deep pan.  To test if it is ready, put a drop of the batter in the oil and if it bubbles right away, it's ready.  Gently fry a few pieces at a time and make sure you flip them over while they are frying to get an even golden outside. 

Remove the fried goodies and drain on paper towels to remove the excess oil.  I sprinkled them with sea salt, but as you can see, maybe a little too much for your liking.  Nonetheless, I loved them.  Surprising I enjoyed the jalapenos better than the avocado!  It is a bit of a mess and a little time at the stove but if you're looking for something fun to make, I would recommend them.