Love it or hate it, fusion cuisine is here to stay. Latin food, known for its varied flavors, wide use of spices, root vegetables, exotic fruits, and of course, rice and beans, is a popular choice for a variety of fusion dishes. While each country in Latin America offers its own traditional variety of food, flavors, and style of cooking, Latin dishes prepared outside of their countries of origin are often an adapted fusion of the two cultures. There’s good reason to stray from an authentic Latin dish: the priority of cooking with local ingredients, the lack of availability of traditional ingredients, and finally, because fusion food can be delicious.

I would classify this Pasta with Avocado Sauce and Garlic Shrimp dish as a Latin/Italian fusion. It's not an authentic Latin dish, but uses typical flavors and ingredients of our cuisine, along with the pasta, which is of course the Italian element!  Pasta is something I often make to satisfy my family. It’s versatile and can be mixed with most anything you have on hand. Pasta always comes to the rescue when I am in desperate need of a quick dinner and is usually a huge hit with the kids!

Avocados seem to have become more popular in the United States and are regularly available at many major supermarkets. If you can't find ripe avocados at your market, you can place them in a paper bag or in a fruit basket at room temperature when you get them home. After a few days you will notice the skin turning darker as it ripens. Avocados should not be refrigerated until they are very ripe, but once they are ripe, you can then store them for up to a week in the fridge.
 
There are a lot of flavors coming together in this pasta dish, but they all harmonize perfectly with each other, a delicious fusion on a dish.

Pasta with Avocado Sauce and Garlic Shrimp

  • 1 pound fettuccine or linguini or spaghetti
  • 4 avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 jalapeño pepper

Get the full recipe and ingredient list.