Chopped up in a salad, avocado adds a creamy texture without the saturated fat of cheese or dairy-based dressings. It is delicious here with shrimp, apple, and cucumber.
In a saucepan, bring 3 cups water, tarragon stems, lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and peppercorns to a boil.
Remove from heat, add shrimp and poach until opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate (discard everything else) and refrigerate to cool.
In a bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, chives, tarragon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Add shrimp, apple, and cucumber, and toss to coat.
Divide salad between 4 bowls. Add avocado to the mixing bowl and toss with remaining dressing. Top each salad with a quarter of the avocado. Serve immediately.
If you buy avocados before they're ready to eat, keep them in a paper bag to speed up the ripening process.
