advice on how to use half ripened avocado (already opened!)

[Lynndsey Rigberg]

[The Chowhound Team moved this post from the L.A. board]

In an attempt to suprise me and make guacamole for dinner, my husband split open 3 unripe avocados (they're green, but still hard). Any suggestions what to do with these other than feed them to the dog?

Thanks chowhounds!

[jsaimd]

It depends how hard they are - just a little hard - make a salad, with diced avocado, fruit, smoked paprika, nuts - really, just use your imagination. You can grill underripe avocado too.

[danhole]

I haven't tried this with one already opened, but when I bring one home from the store and it is still hard, I put it in a paper bag and leave it on the counter until it is slightly soft to the touch. You should use lemon or lime juice to keep it from turning too brown. Maybe if you did that and sealed it well it might work in the paper bag.

Go to avocado.org and see if they have any tips.

[tastyjon]

put it in a container, in the fridge, with the pit. The pit helps keep it from browning. It'll soften up in a couple of days.

Or you can slice really thin and use on sandwiches, burgers, etc.

[pootle]

How hard are they? If I want to make guacamole and can only find avocados that aren't really ripe enough I whizz them in a blender rather than mashing - not quite as good as perfectly ripe avocados but a lot better than no guacamole at all.

[DanaB]

You can try leaving them out and see if they ripen. Either cover the cut part with plastic wrap, or put them back together (assuming he kept the pits), and just leave them on the counter for a day or two. I've had some luck with this method in the past (in my case, usually only with a half of ONE avocado ;-) Oh well, at least he was trying!