Avacado & Salmon Recipe

Prepare ingredients

If your red bell pepper and tomato are not already roasted, roast them: place whole red bell pepper and tomato on a baking sheet under a broiler or on a hot grill, turning occasionally, until skins are charred and blistered (8–12 minutes). Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to steam (makes skins easier to peel). Let tomato cool slightly.

Peel the charred skin from the red pepper and tomato. Remove seeds from the pepper and core from the tomato. Roughly chop the pepper and tomato.

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Place the roasted red pepper, roasted tomato, toasted almonds, garlic clove, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), 0.75 tsp sea salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper into a food processor or blender.

With the motor running, stream in 2–3 tbs olive oil and blend until smooth but slightly textured. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more salt, a splash more vinegar, or up to 1 tbs more olive oil if you prefer a silkier consistency. The final romesco should be thick but spreadable (about 3/4 cup).

Transfer romesco to a bowl and set aside at room temperature while you prepare the toast. Can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before using.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) if you prefer oven-toasted bread, or heat a grill pan or toaster. Lightly brush both sides of the sourdough slices with 2 tbs olive oil.

Toast the sourdough slices until golden and crisp — about 5–7 minutes in a 200°C oven, flipping once, or 2–3 minutes per side on a hot grill pan. Remove and keep warm.

While the bread toasts, halve the avocados, remove pits, and scoop flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small chunks. Stir in 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To assemble: spread a generous layer (about 1–1.5 tbs) of romesco sauce on each toasted sourdough slice.

Top the romesco layer with about 1/4 of the mashed avocado per slice (evenly distributing across the 4 slices). Gently place 50 g smoked salmon on each slice, arranging in folds for texture.

Finish each toast with a light drizzle of olive oil (about 1/2 tsp per slice), a sprinkle of extra sea salt or flaky salt to taste, freshly ground black pepper, and a few microgreens or a small sprig of dill if using.

Serve immediately while the toast is crisp. Leftover romesco can be refrigerated; for best texture, assemble just before serving.