Avocado Toast Is Better With Artichoke Heart Puree

While guacamole remains a mainstay at Mexican food restaurants and backyard barbecues alike, avocado toast is an even simpler use of mashed avocados that has become one of the biggest global culinary trends of the 21st century. Avocado toast is a fully customizable foundation for numerous toppings, from jammy eggs to microgreens. If you're looking to expand your fancy toast horizons, artichoke heart puree is an unexpectedly delicious texture and flavor upgrade worth trying.

Artichoke hearts are meaty and creamy with a distinct vegetal flavor that's already a famous addition to various hearty dips and spreads. Meanwhile, avocados are rich, velvety, and endlessly versatile. Blending the two together will infuse avocados with artichokes' unique taste while also bolstering their creaminess. Whether you choose marinated artichoke hearts in oil or canned in brine, both are wonderful options to puree into an avocado mash. The marinated hearts in oil will add an herbal savoriness, while the canned variety offer a purer artichoke flavor. You can add whole artichoke hearts directly to avocado, mashing the two together for a chunkier texture. Both ingredients will break down easily under the weight of a potato masher or even the back of a fork. You can also puree them in a food processor for a uniformly creamy spread.

Avocado and artichoke heart puree supply a flavorful and creamy foundation to pair with different types of bread and toppings. Toast is the quintessential crunchy contrast to a soft, creamy mash, but it also provides its own flavor contribution. A seeded bread, for instance, brings a nutty, sweet complement to artichoke-infused avocado mash. You could garnish with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds. Rye bread would bring a unique tang and robust caraway flavor to brighten the richness of the mash.

If you're using marinated artichoke hearts, reserve the marinating oil to drizzle over the avocado mash with a squeeze of lemon juice to tie it all together. The puree would taste delicious over a thick slice of toasted olive bread. White beans, anchovies, prosciutto, and sun-dried tomatoes would all bring a burst of umami and Italian flair. Even a simple dusting of parmesan and red pepper flakes would elevate the tasting notes in artichokes with a salty and spicy kick. For a Greek twist, try topping the puree with a sprinkle of feta cheese, chunks of cucumber, and thinly sliced red onions. Pickled veggies like capers, pepperoncini, and beets would add a juicy crunch and a tangy complement to your toast.