The shops are crammed with avocados right now, and here is a rather different way of using them at their best: avocado soup.
I know this doesn't look like a very prepossessing recipe - it looks far too simple to produce anything worthwhile - but I assure you it produces a terrific soup, light, very flavourful, very subtle. You will need a fairly strongly-flavoured stock, and the soup should really be eaten shortly after it is made.
Avocado Soup
50g butter
1 tablespoon flour
700ml good quality chicken or turkey stock
Salt and pepper
Tabasco
2 avocados
1 cup cream
Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Add the stock, stirring carefully. Cook over a medium heat for about five minutes until slightly thick. Place 1 1/2 avocados in a blender with the cream and buzz to combine into a thick puree. Add to the hot stock, stirring until dissolved. Season with salt, pepper and tabasco. Thinly slice the remaining half of avocado to use as a garnish. Serve as soon as possible.
Other garnishes can include any of the following: fried strips of tortilla; shredded coriander leaves; sour cream; more tabasco; finely shredded salad; or onion.