This avocado-based recipe is very tasty and makes a fabulous breakfast. Make sure you get ripe and ready-to-eat avocados as there is nothing worse that trying to eat one that is under ripe.

A good tip is to make your poached eggs ahead and keep them in cold water in the fridge. Simply Better corn-fed eggs are fantastic and rich, with a lovely colour and great flavour.

This recipe includes bacon but you could also try it with just the avocado on its own with the toasted bread and the poached egg.

The spinach and gruyère snack is like a savoury bread and butter pudding.

You could also add any leftover ham that you have. A good mature cheddar is nice to try instead of the gruyère.

We have been cooking this in the cookery school and people are always amazed at how full of flavour it is. And do make sure to get the best bread you can find.

Grilled Streaky Bacon with Smashed Avocado on Toast & Poached Egg

Grilled streaky bacon with smashed avocado on toast & poached egg.

Serves four

Eight dry-cured streaky bacon rashers

1tbsp white wine vinegar

Four large eggs

Four thick slices of white crusty loaf or sourdough bread

A little extra virgin olive oil

Two firm, ripe avocados

Half a lemon

For the roasted tomatoes:

Four vine-ripened tomatoes, halved

Two garlic cloves, sliced

One fresh thyme sprig

2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2). Arrange the tomatoes in a baking tin and scatter over the garlic and thyme leaves. Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season generously. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes and then leave to cool before using.
  • 2 Preheat the grill to a medium heat. Grill the bacon rashers until crisp and golden brown on both sides, then drain well on kitchen paper.
  • 3 Fill a large saucepan with water. Add the vinegar and a pinch of salt and bring to a hard boil over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the water is simmering and then use a spoon to swirl the water into a whirlpool. Crack in the eggs one at a time and cook for 2½ minutes, then drain well on kitchen paper.
  • 4 Toast the bread in a toaster or on the griddle and drizzle with a little olive oil and then arrange on warmed plates. Mash the avocados in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon and season to taste. Divide between the toast and put a poached egg on each slice. Add the crispy bacon rashers and some roasted tomatoes to serve.

    • One-tray Spinach & Gruyère Brunch

    One-tray spinach and gruyère brunch

    Serves four to six

    50g (2oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

    Five shallots, minced

    550g (1¼lb) spinach, tough stalks removed and washed

    Eight slices of multigrain brown bread (or similar)

    175g (6oz) gruyère cheese, finely grated

    Six large eggs

    5tbsp milk

    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Melt a knob of the butter in a sauté pan set over a medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about five minutes, until softened but not coloured. Stir in the spinach in fistfuls and sauté until just softened and wilted. Season to taste and drain in a colander and then on kitchen paper to remove all the excess moisture.
  • 2 Use the rest of the butter to spread over the slices of bread, then fill with the cooled spinach mixture and sprinkle over half of the cheese. Cut each sandwich in half to make two triangles, then arrange in a buttered ovenproof dish that is 27cm x 21cm (10½in x 8¼in) and 6cm (2¼in) deep.
  • 3 Break the eggs into a bowl and add the milk. Season generously and whisk until just combined. Pour over the sandwiches that are tightly packed in the dish and press down gently with a fish slice to ensure they are all soaked evenly. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge overnight or you can cook it immediately if you prefer. However, if you’ve got the time, try to give it at least half an hour for the bread to soak up all of the liquid.
  • 4 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Remove the cling film and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until just golden brown. Serve at once straight to the table.