Chunky Avocado Salad
with Kimchi Vinaigrette

 

The star of this colorful, crunchy summer salad is the kimchi blender dressing. When you have good kimchi, this dressing doesn’t need much else. I like to use Small Town Cultures’s turmeric kimchi for its bright acidity, pleasant funk and the lovely yellow color that the turmeric and carrots give the final vinaigrette. This dressing packs a punch, but the raw vegetables can handle it. Serve this salad right after you dress it so that the avocados retain their color and the cucumbers don’t leak out too much moisture.

 
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Serves 4

Vinaigrette

  • ½ cup packed kimchi

  • ⅓ cup grapeseed or canola oil

  • 2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 1 Tablespoon fish sauce

  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

Salad

  • 2 ripe Hass avocados

  • 5 Persian cucumbers, chopped

  • 6 radishes (1 bunch), trimmed and quartered

  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

  • 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias

  • Small cilantro sprigs and crispy garlic chips (see Note), for garnish

1. Make the vinaigrette In a blender, combine all of the ingredients plus ¼ cup of water. Puree until mostly smooth. If your vinaigrette is too thick, gradually add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until your dressing is pourable.

2. Make the salad Using a sharp chef’s knife, halve the avocados and remove the pits. Cut each avocado half in half lengthwise. You should have 8 avocado quarters. Remove the peels and cut each quarter in half crosswise.

3. In a large shallow bowl or on a small platter, arrange the avocado, cucumber and radishes. Drizzle with some of the kimchi vinaigrette and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Garnish with the scallions, cilantro and crispy garlic chips, if using. Serve right away, passing more vinaigrette at the table.

NOTE For the garlic chips, thinly slice 6 large cloves of garlic. In a small cold skillet, combine the garlic and ¼ cup of grapeseed or canola oil. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic chips to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt. Reserve the garlic oil for another use.