The weather has been so cold and a tad grey the past few weeks and I am totally over it. I am ready for warmth and brightness and so is my kitchen; cue avocado toast on repeat. I'm pretty sure avocado toast hit peak Instagram saturation point somewhere mid-2015. Now that all the fuss about this delicious breakfast has died now, it's clear that it's not gone away or waned in popularity. Rather avocado toast is now just mainstream and with good reason.
The starting point for avocado toast is to choose beautifully ripe avocados. Peel them, making sure to use the dark green flesh closest to the skin; this often gets discarded but I’m reliably informed this is the most nutritious part of the avocado flesh. In a bowl mash the flesh along with a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous pinch of sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Grill some bread - you can choose whatever type of bread you wish, but sourdough is my preference - and generously smoother the grilled bread with the freshly mashed avocado. The simplest of dishes are often the best and this is the perfect example of a small number of ingredients coming together to deliver a delicious breakfast, lunch or snack.
If you happen to be feeling a little adventurous, the 'add-on' options for avocado toast are many. At the moment, I'm swapping between three delicious topping combinations and I thought I'd share them with you. I'd love to hear your favourite avocado toast toppings; just pop them in the comments section below.
P.S. I love avocado toast served with freshly brewed black coffee, but I'll let you in on a secret; it's just as nice served in the evening along with a crisp cool glass of white wine, if so inclined.
1. Radish and apple
First up is radish and apple. This topping combo is all about the crunch. Just thinly slice half an apple and a radish and place them on top of the mashed avocado. If you have some toasted seeds handy, add a light sprinkling on top.
2. Crumbled feta, pistachios and herb oil
For me, adding crumbled feta to most things can only improve it. For this topping combo, make a small dish of herb oil using 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, a tsp of chopped dill and a tsp of chopped coriander. Top the avocado toast with crumbled feta and then drizzle the herb oil on top. Finish with some chopped toasted pistachio nuts.
3. Egg, dressed rocket and chilli flakes
This is a classic brunch combo. I switch between using hard boiled, slow scrambled and poached eggs so just chose whatever cooking method you like the most. Lightly dress the rocket leaves with the smallest amount of balsamic vinegar, then add to the avocado toast. Top with your egg and a sprinkling of chilli flakes for heat. If using scrambled eggs, add them to the avocado toast before the rocket; no one like soggy rocket.
