Avocado Toast

Welcome 2021! Here’s to a wonderfully healthy year! Avocado Toast has always been a favorite of mine to order for brunch, so I was thrilled to find a recipe for it in hopes of duplicating that restaurant experience at home. As The New York Times notes, there is an art to it. Here are some suggestions The NYT offers – use a sturdy bread with some taste, enough salt and citrus to bring out the avocado flavor, and a good olive oil to bring it all together. You can pick and choose from the optional garnishes. Serves 2.

Avocado Toast

2 large slices crusty, chewy sourdough bread, preferably whole wheat

1 ripe avocado, halved, pit removed

Extra virgin olive oil

Flaky salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Half a lemon or lime

OPTIONAL GARNISHES:

Poached or fried eggs, I used scrambled egg

Thinly sliced pickled or fresh red chiles, such as Fresno or cherry

Thinly sliced pickled red onions

Pepitas or sesame seeds, or both

Herbs, such as basil, cilantro, mint or baby arugula

Toast the bread to your liking. Meanwhile, use a wide spoon to remove the avocado halves from the peel, keeping them in large pieces.

Drizzle the hot toast lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Let cool slightly, then place one avocado half on each slice of toast. Use the back of a fork to roughly mash the avocado into the bread, keeping it as chunky as possible.

Sprinkle with a little more salt, and pepper if desired. Squeeze the citrus over the top and add any garnishes. Cut each piece of toast in half if they’re large and serve immediately.

Enjoy and bon appetit!

Credit: New York Times Cooking