Showing posts with label toast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toast. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

All Things Green Avocado Toast

Photo by Eric Slatkin.  This recipe was developed for and first appeared on ASSEMBLY LINE.
Like many, I crave green fresh things at the start of the year. Even in LA it's dreary and cold, and fresh vegetables and leafy greens are very welcome after all of the rich food eaten over the holidays.
There are some food trends that are classics. I don't think I'll ever get tired of avocado toast. We're lucky to have so many good avocados in California year round. While I'm often homesick for the Pacific Northwest, avocados and other incredible produce are the things I love most about living here. Simple avocado on toast is perfect, but this is a gussied up version that takes little extra effort. Sometimes I like to start the day with a little extra time put into breakfast.
You don't really need a recipe, but here's one just in case. The idea is to add some fresh herbs, some protein in the form of pistachios, some spice with a little bit of thinly sliced jalapeno (optional), and a not of acid with lime zest and juice to this classic toast. There are endless variations and possibilities but I love the combo of creamy avocado paired with herbs, citrus, and nuts. Happy new year!
All Things Green Avocado Toast
Serves 1-2

2 large slices seeded multigrain or sprouted grain bread
1 avocado, sliced thin
¼ jalapeno, very thinly sliced
4 large basil leaves
4 chives
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons shelled roasted unsalted pistachio nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon lime zest, or to taste
fresh lime juice, to taste
extra virgin olive oil, drizzle to taste
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Start by toasting your bread slices. While the bread is toasting, prepare the other ingredients. Halve your avocado, and slice the avocado halves thin. Slice half a jalapeno pepper very thin. 

On a cutting board, pile the basil, chives, parsley and cilantro together. Roughly chop all of the herbs. Roughly chop the pistachios. 

Once your bread is toasted, top each slice with half of the avocado. Top the avocado with a few slices of jalapeno, if using. Top the jalapeno with your herb mixture. Top the herbs with chopped pistachios. Grate some fresh lime zest over each slice of toast. Squeeze lime juice over the toast.
Drizzle the olive oil over each slice. Finally, garnish the toast with salt and pepper, to taste.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Omelets and Toast


I'm on an egg kick. It's springtime and the eggs from the farmer's market are better than ever. Yes, farmer's market eggs are pricier than the ones found in the supermarket, but the difference in flavor is noticeably in favor of the more expensive option.

I'm willing to spend a little more on things that are going to taste amazingly better. The yolks are darker, the eggs turn out creamier, and they just taste better in a way that words don't adequately explain. 

The other splurge for this meal was the bread. Again, I'm willing to shell out more dough (no pun intended) for something that is exceptional. I had been curious about these rustic loaves of bread at the Sunday Hollywood Farmer's Market, but the high price tag kept me away. Also, they don't offer samples (I sort of understand the principal of this, but on the other hand samples really work, and I probably would have been hooked on this bread months sooner if I had tried it). 
Ok, at the risk of sounding super bougie, here's what makes this bread special: Kenter Canyon Farm's makes these loaves from from locally grown heritage wheat berries, they mill the flour themselves, they bake the bread from a sourdough starter, and then they sell it at the local market and at Urban Radish. This bread is worth every penny. I'd argue that it's the best loaf of bread I've tried in Los Angeles. 

Back to the eggs... omelets can be filled with whatever you want (from fried chicken, to leftovers from dinner, to squash). It's best to prepare the filling separate from the eggs. The eggs only take a few minutes to cook, and you don't want to try and cram a bunch of raw cold things into a pocket of hot eggs at the last minute. You can use the same pan for both the omelet and the filling, just transfer the filling to the plate you're going to use for the final dish before you make the eggs.  

I had some spring onions, kale, and feta on hand.  I like the combination of something green and something cheesy. Greens love lemon, and I gave the cooked kale and onion mixture a squeeze of lemon juice before I put them in the omelet. Actually, eggs are also big fans of lemon. I'm pretty sure everything is better with lemon. 

I ate this plate of lovely eggs, hearty greens, creamy feta, perfect avocado and buttered-garlic-rubbed rustic bread and my day just got better from there.

This omelet recipe is as flexible as anything, but it's hard for me to think about serving any omelet without a great piece of toast. Find a good rustic bread with a thick crust and soft center and you're set.

Kale and Feta Omelet, with Garlic Rubbed Toast
Serves 1 
(Multiply for however many you want to serve. Omelets are best made one at a time with 2-3 eggs per omelet)

2 large eggs (or 3 if you want a super hearty omelet)
dash of cream or milk (optional)
1 cup chopped kale
1 spring onion, or 2 green onions, sliced
as much crumbled feta as you like, or goat, cheddar, swiss, brie, etc.
salt and pepper
good olive oil
good butter
good bread for toast
1 raw garlic clove
1 lemon wedge, for squeezing
1/2 avocado, sliced

Prep your ingredients: in a bowl, crack open your eggs and add a dash of cream or milk. Whisk them up and season with salt and pepper. Chop up your onions and kale. Crumble the cheese. Peel a clove of garlic. Slice up some bread. Slice up some avocado. 

In an omelet pan (an 8-inch non-stick or whatever you like to use to make eggs), on medium high heat, sauté the kale and onion in a drizzle of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once the greens and onions are wilted and cooked to your liking, transfer them to a plate. Squeeze a little lemon over the greens. Make sure your crumbled cheese is nearby; it's easier if all of your filling ingredients are in the same place. 
Before you cook the eggs, get your toast going. Toast will take longer than the omelet, and you don't want cold eggs or limp toast. Toast the bread. Rub the toasted slices with a raw clove of garlic, and then butter them.

In the same omelet pan, add a little butter and olive oil.  I would have used ghee (clarified butter), but I ran out. On medium high heat, add the egg mixture. With a spatula, lift up one side, tilt the pan, and let the raw egg seep into the empty space.  Do this in different spots around the pan until your eggs solidify into a single layer.
Once the omelet is still a little wet on top, add the filling, fold it over and slide it onto a plate. The eggs will continue to cook a bit even when you turn off the heat.  

Add the sliced avocado and buttered garlic toast to the plate. Serve and relish each bite.