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cultivated to provide food for civilians and troops) make their salads more delightful with avocados, which it called “grenades of glamour.” Capitalizing on a vogue for things tropical in the 1950s, Calavo also encouraged consumers to associate the avocado with exotically themed party dishes that could be served at suburban luaus. Such strategies contributed considerably to America’s love affair with guacamole. By the 1970s, Calavo’s marketers had recognized the need to respond to a rapidly liberalizing society and media culture, and began fashioning a sexy image for the once humble avocado; one ad, in McCall’s magazine, called the fruit the “love food from California.” A California Avocado Commission print and billboard campaign from 1983 said it all: it pictured the movie star Angie Dickinson beside the words “Would this body lie to you?” Avocado sales reached an all-time high.

—Jeffrey Charles

Spicy Beef Empanadas

Empanadas de Carne

These fried pies are a ubiquitous snack in Argentina, and given the vast cattle ranches that fan out over the landscape there, beef is what you most often find inside. The ground beef in these empanadas gets a spicy kick from red chile flakes; chopped green olives add savory flavor. We based this recipe on one that appears in Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann.

4 tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening

1½ tbsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

6 cups flour, plus more for dusting

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 lb. ground beef

3 medium yellow onions, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

1 tbsp. crushed red chile flakes

1 tbsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. sweet Spanish smoked paprika

4 scallions, white and green parts kept separate, both minced

¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, minced

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup pitted green olives, minced

2 hard-boiled eggs, minced Canola oil, for frying

Serves 12

1. Bring 3 tbsp. of the lard, 1½ tbsp. salt, and 2 cups water to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over high heat; pour into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 6–8 minutes. Halve the dough and flatten each half into a disk; wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, heat 4 tbsp. butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining lard and butter. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until soft, 10–12 minutes. Add the chile flakes, cumin, paprika, and the white parts of the scallions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallion greens, oregano, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the beef and stir to combine; set aside.

3. To form the empanadas, cut each dough disk in half and, working with one half at a time, roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 5-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, rerolling as needed to make 24 circles total. Working with one dough circle at a time, place 1 heaping tbsp. of the beef mixture in the middle and top it with a pinch of olives and egg. Lightly moisten the edge of the circle with water and fold the dough circle in half to form a turnover; pinch or crimp the dough to seal. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough circles, beef mixture, olives, and egg. Chill until ready to use.

4. Pour canola oil to a depth of 3 inches into a 6-qt. Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°F. Working in batches, fry the empanadas, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain, and repeat with the remain-ing empanadas. Serve hot.

Wild-Greens Pie