Take Avocado Toast To The Next Level And Fuse It With Eggs Benedict
Taking two brunch powerhouses and fusing them together can result in doubly delicious creations. Consider tater tot waffles, or brunch burgers topped with fried eggs; these dishes are just as tantalizing, if not more so, than their individual components. Another brunch fusion that harmoniously works together? Avocado toast and eggs Benedict.
Both of these dishes share a similar foundation: a base of toasted bread (such as toast or English muffins) layered with various ingredients. The fusion isn't a huge departure in concept; if you've ever enjoyed a slice of avocado toast with a soft-poached egg on top, you're already acquainted with the sumptuous combination of a runny egg and creamy avocado. Now, add a drizzle of rich Hollandaise sauce to elevate the decadence further, and you're left with a dish that highlights all the best elements of both brunch staples. If you've grown bored of these traditional morning meals on their own, merging them together introduces a touch of freshness to these tried-and-true concepts.
Building a perfect breakfast fusion
Combining avocado toast and eggs Benedict may seem like a straightforward endeavor, but there are actually a few variables to consider. Consider the basic structure of both of these dishes. A classic eggs Benedict typically consists of a few key ingredients: English muffins, Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and, of course, Hollandaise sauce. Avocado toast, at its core, consists of toast and either sliced or mashed avocado. However, many recipes incorporate additional ingredients like eggs, greens, crumbled cheese, or seasonings.
One major decision to make is whether to build your dish on an English muffin or a piece of toasted bread. English muffins, with their craggy texture, allow the avocado to fill the crevices and adhere to the toppings a bit better. On the other hand, when using toast, you have a wide range of bread varieties to choose from, each offering distinct shapes and flavors. Each choice has its merits and will influence the texture and overall flavor of the dish to some degree, so make your selection thoughtfully.
Another consideration: To meat, or not to meat? Meat is a common component in most eggs Benedict recipes and is certainly essential for a "classic" rendition of the dish. In contrast, avocado toast typically doesn't feature meat. Given the rich combination of avocado and Hollandaise sauce topping this dish, the additional richness of breakfast meat may not be necessary. However, introducing something salty and crispy, like bacon, can help balance out the creaminess of the fats.
Mashed avocado or slices?
Preparing the avocado for a dish like this offers various approaches. When it comes to avocado toast, some prefer to thinly slice the avocado and arrange it in a line on the toast, while other recipes call for mashing the avocado to spread on top. Sliced avocado can be visually appealing, but it may present challenges when it comes to balancing other ingredients, such as a poached egg, on the curved slices. On the other hand, mashing the avocado creates a spreadable consistency that can be easily flattened onto your chosen bread, simplifying the process of layering other ingredients.
Mashing the avocado also provides an opportunity to infuse extra flavor by incorporating seasonings. Similar to making guacamole, you can mix salt and pepper, herbs, spices, sauces, or a squeeze of citrus juice directly into the mashed avocado, rather than just sprinkling them on top. This approach allows the flavors to blend more thoroughly, ensuring even distribution of seasonings and resulting in a mouthwatering final dish.