Avocado & Chorizo Toast

I love sausages. I tend to tune people out when they try and tell me how sausages are awful for you, and that I have no idea what types of meat are in them. In reality, I know what types of meat are in sausages. I just ignore it because they are so delicious! The one that tops my list? Turkey Kielbasa! (I'm drooling just thinking about it) But because they have so much fat in them (and sausages, in general), I really have to watch how often I eat them.

Nothing is better than eating something for dinner that isn't traditionally meant for dinner. Example? Breakfast for dinner or eating appetizers for dinner. This recipe was awesome because it was quick to make, super delicious, and involves all of my favorite foods!

Surprisingly, I had a good amount of avocado leftover. I may just toss that with a salad tomorrow, or have it on another piece of toast without the chorizo! Yum!

Recipe from What to Cook & How to Cook it: Fresh & Easy from Jane Hornby


Recipe (makes 4 servings):
1/2 pound (9 ounces) chorizo sausages*
2 ripe avocados
4 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced
2 limes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 thick slices good quality bread, such as sourdough or Italian bread
1 clove garlic
1 handful fresh cilantro, optional, for garnish
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few drops of Tabasco sauce

*There are two types of chorizo: cooking chorizo, which is soft like a regular sausage, and cured chorizo, which is firm and dry and eaten uncooked, similar to a salami. Both types will work in this recipe, but choose the cooking chorizo if you have the option*

Directions:
1. Cut the sausages into bite size pieces. Heat a skillet or frying pan, add the sausages to the dry pan, then fry for 5 minutes, until golden and crisp around the edges. The sausages will release their own oil as they cook.

2. Cut each avocado in half; then use a spoon to scoop out the pits and the flesh. Roughly chop the meat of the avocado and place in a bowl.

3. Add the juice of one lime and the scallions to the avocados. Add the Tabasco and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Cut the remaining lime into wedges.

Alteration #1: I didn't use any Tabasco sauce, just because I find chorizo to be a tad spicy as is. (No need to make my mouth suffer any more than it should!)

4. Preheat the broiler (or grill) and spread out the bread on a baking sheet. Toast until golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cut the garlic in half and rub the cut side over the toast. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

5. Top the toast with avocado mixture, followed by the sizzling sausages and a spoonful of the pan's juices. Tear the cilantro leaves over the top and serve with the extra lime wedges for squeezing.