Lekker Brekker Monday: Avocado and bacon, freshened up

Bacon is that temptress of an ingredient that has millions in its thrall. If you really like your bacon, it can become a craving. One whiff of it frying somewhere and you have to have it.

But there’s no law that prescribes that bacon must be eaten with eggs. Or with eggs, fried tomato and grilled mushrooms. Or chips. (When did chips become part of breakfast? It just sort of crept up on us, and now it’s everywhere.) 

Just look at the classic BLT, or bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. But I don’t know… I’ve never been convinced that the tomato belongs in a BL…T. I prefer a plain old BLM (bacon, lettuce and mayo; yes, I just made it up).

Anyway, we’d just got back from KwaZulu-Natal. And one thing you can guarantee about KZN (other than its perennially colourful politics) is that you will go home with a load of big, fat avocados in the boot. And those avos are so buttery, so delicious.

Ultimately, there was just one left, and I feared that, once cut open, it would be past it and headed for the bin. But it was just perfect. And it was breakfast time so I thought, why not? It would be breakfast.

As with many recipes, this one relied very simply on what I had to hand. Some basil. A fresh lime. And bacon.

And that made such a refreshing alternative to the big breakfast fry-up. I still got my bacon fix, with the accompanying lime juice giving the avo a delicious tang and a bit more freshness from the basil. The citrus also prevents the avocado from browning.

Tony’s avocado and bacon, freshened up

(Quantities entirely up to you)

Ingredients

Streaky or back bacon rashers

A touch of oil

Half an avo per each serving

Lime juice

Fresh basil leaves, torn

Salt and black pepper to season the avo

Method

Prepare the avocado/es first and have the halves fanned out on plates before cooking the bacon. Remove the skin, slice around the stone, and remove the stone. Place one half of avo flat-side down and use a sharp knife to slice nearly all the way through several times, leaving the narrowest point intact, hence the word ‘fan’. Then gently push down and it will fan out as in the photo.

Squeeze lime juice all over the avo, and season with a little salt and cracked black pepper. Tear a basil leaf or two into little bits and scatter them around.

Heat a pan with a splash of oil in it. I do this just to give the rashers a bit of love before they release their own fat. Fry the bacon the way you like it (for me, it’s that perfect point of crispiness before it gets too hard and glassy). 

Drain on kitchen paper, add as many rashers as you like to your plate and tuck in. DM

Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Writer 2023, jointly with TGIFood columnist Anna Trapido. Order his book, foodSTUFF, here

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.

This dish is photographed on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.