Ode to the Avocado Toast.

One of my favourite ways to start a day is by having a wholesome breakfast.

Thought I will admit that I'm one of those people who will often skip the most important meal of the day because I'm in a hurry (I will grab at least a fruit in that case), I strongly stand by the fact that your body is yearning for a dose of vitamins and minerals right at the kickstart of a long day.

Whether its during the weekend when we all have that sweet sweet extra time to sleep, drink & eat, or even during the week - if you have at least 10 extra minutes to spare for a simple version, I bet avocado toast will put a grin on your freshly awoken face.

And keep it there for at least until you run out the door.

There are countless toppings to choose from depending on what you like. Since the fruit itself (yes, its a fruit) has a mild and earthy flavour, but at the same time provides a rich and creamy texture, it can be combined with all sorts of special ingredients. However, I decided to go for a classic poached egg, some cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of balsamic, and pickled radishes. So, lets crack on, shall we?

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

1 ripe medium sized avocado
4 slices of bread (use whatever your heart desires, I used sourdough bread)
2 eggs
a pinch of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (approx. in total)
5-6 cherry tomatoes
1 radish
1 tablespoon olive oil (approx. in total)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

First, lets prepare all of the toppings and the avocado, so that we can assemble the toast right before the freshly poached eggs are cooked.

Wash and cut your tomatoes in half (or quarters) and season with a pinch of both salt & pepper, the olive oil and the balsamic. Mix to evenly coat and set aside. Next, either mandolin your radish, or cut into fine slices, and squeeze over a few drops of lemon.

Score your avocado with a knife, twist, open and remove both the pit and skin. Try to squeeze some lemon juice on the surface of the avocado so that it doesn't go brown. Mash it with a fork to achieve the consistency that you like, and while mashing add some garlic powder, salt & pepper, a small drizzle of olive oil, and the lemon juice. Mix to incorporate and set aside.

Now that you've prepped all your toppings, we can get on with the bread and eggs.

If you have a toaster, by all means use it. I grilled my bread on a medium to high heat using a pan, and added a spread of butter to make it nice and crispy.

For the poached eggs, place a saucepan filled with water on a low to medium heat. While waiting for small bubbles to appear on the bottom and edge of the saucepan (you do not want a rolling boil when you're poaching eggs) crack your first egg in a small bowl to make it easier while pouring it in the water. I recommend poaching one by one, since its quite a technique to master. Once the small bubbles appear, use a spoon to create a whirpool by stirring the water and pour your egg right in the centre so that the whites wrap around the yolk. Cook for approximately 3 minutes for a soft boiled egg.

Meanwhile, grab your bread and arrange on a serving plate. Use a spoon to spread the mashed avocado on each slice as a base, and add the toppings on the other two slices (tomatoes & radish).

Once the egg is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the water. Follow by placing it on the top of the avocado toast, and by giving it some salt & freshly ground pepper. Repeat the same technique for egg no. 2, and voila!