Let’s get romantic! Valentine’s weekend is just around the corner and this easy recipe makes an impressive Valentine’s Day Brunch – a great way to score maximum points with your loved one. 

Serves two

Ingredients: 

2 plain bagels
8g butter or buttery spread
1 avocado
140g smoked salmon, sliced
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of chilli flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
500ml cold water
2 free range eggs
½ teaspoon baby capers
Rocket to garnish

Method:

Preparing the avocado

Place the avocado onto a chopping board, place your hand on top of the avocado with the fat end in the palm of your hand with the pointed end under your fingers.
Using a small sharp knife, carefully insert the centre of the blade into the pointed end of the fruit.
Gently push the blade through the fruit until it meets the stone in the centre of the fat end of the avocado.
Keeping the avocado on the chopping board, carefully cut around the stone until your knife meets the cut on the opposite side.
Holding the avocado in the palm of both hands, gently twist the two halves to separate. One half will hold the stone the other will be hollow.
Again, using a small sharp knife with the stone facing upward and holding the avocado firmly, gently tap the centre of the blade into the stone then gently twist - the avocado should loosen and become free.
Using a dessert spoon, push the edge of the spoon between the avocado skin and flesh in a scooping motion to separate the flesh of the avocado from the skin.
Turn the avocado flesh over so it sits dome side up and slice into thin strips.
Sprinkle with a pinch of chilli flakes and a squeeze of lime juice then set aside.

Finishing the dish

Place the water and a second squeeze of lime juice into a suitable saucepan and place onto a high heat to boil.
Cut the bagels in half through the centre and toast until golden brown.
Evenly spread each toasted half with butter and stack the two halves, both buttered side up.
Neatly arrange the smoked salmon and avocado onto the toasted bagels, sprinkle with the capers and rocket leaves to garnish.
When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat so the water is slowly rolling over in the pan.
Crack the eggs into the water and gently poach until they are firm but the yolks still soft.
Carefully lift the eggs from the pan using a slotted spoon, allow excess water to drain and then place the poached eggs on top of the smoked salmon and avocado, sprinkle the eggs with freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Passion Fruit and Mango Mimosa

This is a simple but effective cocktail and can be enjoyed at any time of the day. For the fruit puree, I use a well-known supermarket brand (think “Live well for less”). If you prefer, you can substitute the champagne for sparkling wine or, for an alcohol-free option, try sparkling apple juice.

Ingredients per glass (125ml champagne flute):

25ml mango and passion fruit coulis
100ml chilled champagne, sparkling wine or apple juice (fizz)

Method:

Simply pour the coulis into the glass, add 25-30ml of the fizz and stir the ingredients together, top up with the remaining fizz and serve.