Avocado-Muffins with Croutons

Preheat the oven to 200 °C/400 °F (convection oven 180 °C). Carefully grease the cups of the muffin pan. Do not use paper baking cups, otherwise the batter will stick to the paper.

Place the croutons in a freezer bag and seal the bag. Roll over them several times with a rolling pin and finely grind the bread cubes this way.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the flour with baking powder, baking soda, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, spices, salt and pepper and granulated stock.

In another large bowl, crack the egg and whisk lightly. Then add oil, crème fraîche or yogurt, diced tomatoes, avocado, lemon juice and if desired Tabasco. Blend well. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the batter into the cups of the muffin baking pan. Bake at 180 °C/350 °F (convection oven 160 °C) on medium rack for 25-30 minutes. Let the muffins rest briefly in the pan, then remove from the baking pan.

For the dip, in a small bowl, mash the peeled and pitted avocados and stir in lemon juice. Blend crème fraiche or yogurt with milk until smooth and add. Stir in onion, salt and pepper, garlic, and Tabasco, if desired. Sprinkle the avocado dip with chopped herbs and serve with the warm Muffins.

VARIATION!

Instead of avocados, you can use the same amount (100 g) of cooked and mashed artichoke hearts. Also, you can also put 12 small artichoke pieces in the batter before baking.

Recommended ingredients:

For the dough

2/3 cup (100 g) croutons
1¼ cups (180 g) flour
2½ tsps. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of pressed garlic
½ tsp. basil – ½ tsp. caraway seeds (if desired)
½- 1 tsp salt – black pepper
1 TBS. grained vegetable broth
or 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
1 egg – ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
1-1¼ cups (approx. 280 g) crème fraiche or yogurt
2 tomatoes, skinned and diced
1 cup (approx. 100 g) avocado, mashed
1 TBS. lemon juice – 1 tsp. Tabasco (optionally)

For the dough and garnish

2 ripe avocados, 2 tsps. lemon juice
¾-1 cup (200 g) crème fraîche or yogurt
1 small, finely chopped onion – salt & pepper
½ crushed garlic clove (optional)
a few dashes of Tabasco (to taste)
3-4 TBS. chopped herbs (for sprinkling