Crispy GEM avocado balls with aioli

Ingredients

For the Crispy GEM® avocado balls:

1 GEM® avocado, peeled and stone removed
2 tbsp finely chopped herbs, e.g. basil, parsley or dill
6 tbsp plain flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
5 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
Avocado oil, for deep frying

For the aioli:

1 egg yolk
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
125ml avocado oil
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed, to taste
1-2 tsp lemon juice

Method

Start by making the aioli: whisk the egg yolk and mustard together then slowly whisk in the oil, bit by bit, until the mixture thickens. Once thick, mix the garlic and lemon juice into the aioli. Season to taste, adding more lemon juice if needed. Chill until needed.
Coarsely mash the GEM® avocado with a fork and mix with the herbs and 3 tbsp of the flour. Season with black pepper. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 12 equal-sized balls.
Sprinkle the remaining flour on a plate. Put the egg white in a shallow bowl and sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs on a separate plate.
Roll one of the GEM® avocado balls in the flour. Then dip in the egg white and finish by rolling in the panko breadcrumbs so it’s completely covered. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining GEM® avocado balls.
Heat the oil for frying to 170°C (to test the temperature, add a cube of bread to the oil – it’s hot enough when the bread browns in around 30 seconds).
Fry the GEM® avocado balls in the hot oil for about 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
Serve the GEM® avocado balls with the aioli.

Recipe tip

Make the GEM® avocado balls in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Uncooked GEM® avocado balls can also be frozen. Cook them from frozen, adding an extra 1 minute of frying time.