Hipster-Certified Avocado Toast
Hey there, dearest readers. I apologize for the unannounced, almost two-week hiatus I’ve taken from writing here. Things have felt pretty oppressive since the new year began, and I just didn’t have much to say. With COVID numbers rising steadily higher and Ontario being placed into a state of emergency, it just didn’t seem like the right time to give my takes on avocado toast (today) and or chicken parm (coming soon!)
It’s been difficult getting some ingredients, too. I’m certain that there’s been some panic-buying over the last little while. On top of that, things keep getting tougher for restaurants out there. I can’t really bring myself to interview any of my contemporaries when things are so glum right now. And since we really have no idea what the hospitality industry will look like when this is said and done, all my well-meaning anecdotes and “helpful” war stories just don’t seem useful. I’ll admit it, I’m in a bit of a funk.
But you can’t stay in a funk forever. Eventually, you just gotta get back up on the horse. One sure fire way to jump start your day is a good breakfast. That’s something I firmly believe in, and something I’ve talked about before.
Which brings us to the topic of today’s post. The dish I said to myself I’d never do, because it’s oh-so-trendy and boomers just LOVE to dunk on it. You know it, you’re sick of hearing about it: it’s avocado toast.
You know what, though? It’s a fucking delicious breakfast. You can take it any number of which ways in terms of how you want to gussy it up, but I’m certainly partial to my particular variation. There’s no need to hate on it. You’re getting good fats from the avocado and olive oil, omega 3’s from the smoked salmon (probably, I dunno) and protein and good cholesterol from the egg. What’s not to like?
There’s not too much to talk about here. It’s a simple and straightforward recipe. Nothing is very complicated, other than using your avocadoes at peak ripeness. Other than that, all you need is good bread, good smoked salmon and a few good eggs.
Hipster-Certified Avocado Toast (serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 2 slices good-quality bread (sourdough/country loaf)
- 1 avocado at perfect ripeness
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- 1 lime, juice only
- 2-4 slices good-quality smoked salmon
- 2 eggs, cracked carefully into a small bowl
- Butter, as needed
- Your choice of vinegar-based hot sauce (we like Franks Extra Hot)
Method:
- Heat a medium-sized cast iron skillet over medium heat. As it heats up, toast the bread and halve the avocado. Remove and discard the pit, then spoon the flesh into a small bowl.
- Season the avocado with salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto the avocado, then the lime juice. Mash with a fork, as chunky or as smooth as you like it. I prefer mine mostly smashed, but with a bit of texture. Set aside.
- Once the pan is hot, add a knob of butter. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, gently pour the eggs into the pan, being careful to keep the yolks intact. Season the eggs with salt and cover the pan, cooking the eggs until the whites have just set, 3-4 minutes.
- Divide the avocado purée evenly between the two slices of bread, spreading it with a knife or the back of a spoon. Drape the smoked salmon slices over the avocado. Uncover the eggs and turn off the heat. With a heatproof spatula CAREFULLY separate the eggs and lift them onto the salmon. Lift from under the yolk, as it’s the heaviest part of the egg.
- Season the eggs with pepper and drizzle hot sauce over everything. Pour yourself a steaming mug of coffee and go kick the days ass.
This is a simple dish, but each part comes together like Voltron to form something truly magical: Crunchy toast! Rich avocado! Smoky salmon! Acidic lime! Hot… hot sauce! Flowy goddamn egg yolk! It hits all the notes. There’s nowhere to hide in this dish, so make sure your ingredients are top notch and just pay attention while you cook. You can’t lose.
Thanks for being patient and awaiting my return, dear readers. Now that I’m back, let’s talk. What’re your feelings about avocado toast? Woke? Bespoke? A joke? Or is there some other topic or dish you’d like to see me tackle? Shoot me an email or leave a comment below. You know I love to hear from you!
