Halloumi & Avocado Toast With Beetroot Salad

Pffffft, going *out* for brunch is, like, soOoOo last month.

We’re in self isolation times now, my friends! GET WITH IT. However, just because we can only leave the house for essentials (unfortunately, hipster cafes offering thick slices of sourdough and harissa oil do not come under this ‘acceptable’ category) – it doesn’t mean we can’t bring elements of it back to our very own humble abodes.

To be fair, this isn’t really a recipe. You are essentially putting stuff on toast and making a pretty little salad for some extra jazz. Saying that – there is an art to doing it right. You want to toast the bread in the oven. You want to get the right level of ‘smash’ in the avocado: not enough smash and you haven’t quite got right base to rest your halloumi on, too much smash and you’re heading in to guacamole territory. God forbid! That would be well embarro, mate. The bearded man buns would be sneering at you from their minuscule flat white cups.

Let’s do this. Let’s get it right. Let’s bring the brunch party to us. One condition though – no yoga leggings allowed. You have to be wearing your tracksuit bottoms with yoghurt stains on, because it will make me feel a bit better, okay?

Halloumi & Avocado Toast With Beetroot Salad

 

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Recipe type: lunch, brunch

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• For the toast:
• as many slices of 'whatever' bread you want
• 1 large avocado
• 60g halloumi
• ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• dash of chilli flakes
• salt and pepper
• For the salad:
• 2 cooked beetroots, chopped
• ½ red onion, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• bunch of parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper
• pine nuts

Instructions

1. First prep the salad by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Wow, that was simple.
2. Heat the oven to about 180 degrees, get the bread on a tray ready for toasting.
3. Scoop out the avocado and mash in a bowl with the juice of the lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
4. Use a knife to slice through and get the 'chunks', maybe give it a good smash with the fork - but don't go overboard.
5. Remember what I said about the guac and the man buns.
6. Put the toast in the oven.
7. Slice the halloumi, heat a pan with the other tbsp oil and fry on either side for 2 mins on either side. When you turn over the cheese, also turn over the toast.
8. Assemble the toast.
9. Pile on the avocado and the halloumi. Serve up with the salad. See? Pretty much the same as your favourite brunch cafe would, except it's probably not set you back as much. Self isolation comes with its perks...

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