Serves 6

No Super Bowl gathering is complete without avocado. For a restaurant-worthy appetizer without a lot of fuss, try pan-frying breaded avocado slices. Choose avocados that are firm yet ripe enough to yield to the touch. Make the dip as early as the day before, and bread the avocado a few hours before game time. Fry them immediately before serving. Party guests will be asking for this one all next season.

DIP

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup buttermilk

Grated rind and juice of 1 lime

? cup chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, grated

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lime rind and juice, cilantro, garlic, celery seeds, poppy seeds, salt and pepper.

2. Refrigerate until serving.

AVOCADO

1 cup flour

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Canola oil, for frying

4 firm but ripe avocados, cut into 8 wedges each

1. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a metal rack. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne. In another shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk. In a third shallow bowl, stir together panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and cilantro.

2. In a large, wide skillet, heat ½ inch canola oil over medium heat. The oil is ready when it reaches 350 degrees or when breadcrumbs tossed into the oil sizzle but do not brown instantly.

3. Dip one wedge of avocado in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Dip it in the egg and shake off the excess. Finally, dip it in the panko mixture, making sure to coat all spots with breadcrumbs, and shake off the excess. Place on a plate. Repeat with remaining wedges.

4. Working in small batches, fry the avocado wedges for 3-5 minutes or until brown on both sides, flipping once. Transfer to metal rack. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt, if you like. Serve with buttermilk poppy-seed yogurt. Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Karoline Boehm Goodnick can be reached at kboehmgoodnick@gmail.com.