Here’s the Latin American version of the Italian Caprese Salad. Colorful, creamy, crunchy and refreshing, the original recipe came to me almost 20 years ago as a family recipe shared by one of my ESOL students in the “Puerto Rican Cultural Center Cookbook”. As a class project, my students translated their favorite family recipes into English. We collected, edited, and published recipes from Peru, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela in the book. Everyone in the class took home a copy of the printed, bound cookbook, and the non-profit Puerto Rican Cultural Center sold copies of the cookbook as a fundraising tool. The best part was the feast we enjoyed at the end of the project when everyone cooked their recipes for the class. Gracias a mi amigo Jose Puello y Buen Salud!

Ingredients:

• 1 large Hass Avocado, or 2 small

• 2 medium tomatoes

• ½ cup diced red onion

• ¼ cup diced orange cubanelle pepper (optional)

• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

• ½ cup olive oil or canola oil

• 3 tablespoons white wine or rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)

• ¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher or Sea Salt (or to taste)

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Preparation:

1. Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch rounds and lay them on a serving platter in a single layer; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit; place each half face down on a cutting surface and cut the avocado into half-inch-thick slices lengthwise.

3. Cut the avocado flesh of each slice at ½ to 1-inch intervals; use a spoon to gently scrape the pieces off the skin into a bowl.

4. Spread the avocado pieces and diced cubanelle over the tomato slices.

5. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice and pour over the avocado and tomato slices.

6. Sprinkle on the cilantro and refrigerate for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.