Avocado Toast
Starting the bacon in a cold pan renders the fat slowly and evenly, which is what gets you properly crisp bacon and enough clean fat left behind to toast the bread in.
Smashed avocado, a soft poached egg, crumbled bacon and a homemade chilli oil turn simple toast into something worth setting aside proper time for.
This one’s best eaten the moment it’s assembled, poached eggs and avocado don’t wait around.
Avocado Toast & Poached Eggs
AVOCADO TOAST · BREAKFAST · BACON · MEDIUM
Avocado toast, taken properly seriously
Toasting the bread directly in rendered bacon fat instead of butter gives it a flavour you just can't get any other way.
Cracking each egg into its own small bowl before poaching means you can control exactly where it goes, and catch any shell fragments before they hit the water.
The homemade chilli oil keeps well in the fridge for a week, so it's worth making a batch beyond just this one plate.
Avocado Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices Sourdough
- 1 Large Avocado Smashed
- ¼ Lemon Juiced
- 4 Eggs
- 6 Steaky Bacon Rashers
- Seasoning To Taste
- Flat Leaf Parsley
Chilli Oil
- 125 g Sambal Oelek
- 125 ml Sunflower Oil
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- ½ Lemon Zest
- 1 Garlic Clove Grated
- 5 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
- 10 g Dijon Mustard
- Seasoning To Taste
Method
Make The Chilli Oil
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust acidity and seasoning levels to your taste.
Cook The Bacon
- Place the bacon in a cold pan and bring it up to medium heat. Allow the fat to render slowly, cooking the bacon until it’s golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to drain, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.
Toast The Bread In Bacon Fat
- Add the bread slices directly into the pan with the rendered bacon fat. Toast for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp.
Prepare The Avocado
- Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl. Mash with the back of a fork, adding lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and cracked pepper. Leave it slightly chunky for texture.
Poach The Eggs
- Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Add a splash of vinegar (optional), then stir to create a vortex. Crack the eggs into small bowls, then gently slide them into the water. Poach for about 2 1/2 minutes for runny yolks. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a paper towel.
Assemble
- Spread the smashed avocado evenly over the bacon-fat toast. Top each slice with a poached egg. Crumble the crispy bacon over the top, drizzle with chilli oil, and finish with a light dusting of paprika, cayenne, or sumac.
Serve
- Serve immediately while hot, with an extra wedge of lemon on the side if desired.
Why start the bacon in a cold pan?⌄
It renders the fat slowly and evenly, giving you crisp bacon and enough clean rendered fat left in the pan to toast the bread in.
How long does the chilli oil keep?⌄
About a week, refrigerated. It contains raw garlic and ginger steeped in oil, so it needs to stay in the fridge at all times and shouldn't be left out at room temperature.
Can I fry the eggs instead of poaching them?⌄
Yes, a fried egg with a runny yolk works just as well if poaching isn't your thing. Cook it in a little of the reserved bacon fat for extra flavour.
Can I prep any of this ahead of time?⌄
Cook the bacon and make the chilli oil ahead, both store well. Toast the bread and poach the eggs fresh, since neither hold or reheat well once made.
