Grilled avocado and cherry tomato with lime and coriander

I’m sitting opposite one of my favourite people (an Irish New Yorker called Ultan who somehow seems to know stuff about everything from architecture to daffodils, to oysters and beer, to buttons and bows). Over lunch, he starts talking about a salad made from grilled avocado. I now make it once a month because it’s the perfect small supper and grilling the avocado gives it a nutty, silky flavour. Even the simplest version of this recipe, with just tomatoes, coriander and lime juice, is sensational.

226 calories per portion
2½ of your five-a-day
Serves 2
1 whole avocado, ripe but on the firm side
2 limes
230g cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 tsp olive oil
1 small clove fresh garlic, minced
a small handful coriander leaves, torn from the stem
plenty of salt and pepper
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted in a dry pan until golden


Heat a frying pan until very hot. Slice the avocados in half across the middle and discard the stone, then place them cut face down in the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove, score the flesh and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over them.

Next, add the cherry tomatoes to the hot pan and swirl them around for 30 seconds until lightly warmed through.

Toss the warm cherry tomatoes in the olive oil with the garlic, juice from the remaining lime, coriander and plenty of salt and pepper.

Top the avocado with the fragrant tomato mixture piled into the hollow and sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over. Serve warm, with a spoon or a fork as the only implement needed.


Add finely chopped chilli (red and green), a heaped tablespoon of crab meat per avocado half, toasted sunflower seeds, paprika. Use lemon juice instead of lime and basil instead of coriander, finely chopped spring onions instead of garlic. This would also be delicious with the cherry tomatoes and some Lime and Coriander Pesto. I like having this salad warm, as it releases the flavours beautifully, but you can also just have it all cold if you prefer.