1. Heat cup white wine vinegar with sugar, salt, a bay leaf and a few peppercorns until hot.
2. Add finely slice shallots, mini cucumbers and asparagus spears.
3. Pour mixture on the veges and leave to pickle and cool.
4. Roughly mash avocado with a little of the pickling liquor, salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh parsley or dill.
5. To serve: toast long slices of french bread. 
6. Spread them with avocado and top with pickled veges, a sardine and freshly ground black pepper.

More avocado on toast variations

• Ricotta, avocado and fresh fruit on toast
• Avocado and prawns on toast
• Avocado, tomato and bocconcini on toast