Shrimp and Avocado Appetizer

This is one of the very nicest things you can do with a beautiful avocado. It's a perfect sit-down first course, and would also make a pretty fancy lunch dish. Here's a picture of a version made with crab instead.

Shrimp-Avocado Salad with Pistachios

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
20 medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
2 medium-size ripe avocados
2 tablespoons salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Stir together oil, garlic, and vinegar to make dressing.

Reserve 8 whole shrimp for garnish. Chop remaining shrimp coarsely and add to dressing.

Cut avocados in half. Carefully scoop out flesh and dice, reserving shells. Add diced avocado to shrimp mixture and toss gently to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Refrigerate.

At serving time, mound shrimp mixture in avocado shells on individual serving plates. Top each serving with two whole shrimp and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.