I am not a formally trained chef. Actually, I think the only things I’ve formally learned regarding food came from a Home Economics class back in High School. Would you like to eat a firm scone in crookedly collared sweatshirt? I learned out of necessity (no surprise if you know me at all). I remember… hungry, young, broke or lazy or both… and all I’ve got is a zucchini and a tomato. What to do?

Each and every “hungry, young, broke or lazy or both” challenge brought me closer to understanding the nature of flavor locked inside every morsel of complied energy available in and around my kitchen (um i.e. zucchini).

Enter the sandwich… a complication of the “now”:

Fancy Sandwich
1 French baguette
1 zucchini
1 bunch asparagus
1 tomato
4 eggs
2 green (spring) onions
½ cup of cheese (your choice)
butter
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
1 tbs hot mustard
1 tbs polish mayo (sweeter than regular)
salt
pepper

Ok, take the zucchini and asparagus and slice, snap, and roast (350F 10 minutes). Take the tomato and onions, slice and dice, and mix with mustard, mayo, salt and pepper (add salt and pepper everywhere as you move through all these ingredients). Crack and whisk your eggs, add the cheese (grated), and cook in melted butter. Rremember, less in more when it comes to heat and eggs (I understand that an egg can be slow poached for hour or more!).

Cut the baguette in half, brush with the olive, and toast at 225F for 5-7 minutes (I slightly over baked mine – crispity crush). Remove from the over and rub with a garlic glove.

The flavors of this sandwich were exquisite. Very delicate and moist. The zucchini and asparagus marry very well. The “salad” bridges the profile by refreshing the palate and carrying the flavor of the rich, cheesy egg across the entire spectrum… t’was impossible to stop eating

Plate it on a tea towel as one big bad-ass sandwich; take a picture; write a post.

This certainly won’t be the last eggs post, but I’m sure it’s the first. I love eggs. I love them because they are like a super hero food – ready for almost anything. This is a technique I learned working at restaurant (I work in a restaurant).

Ingredients (for one sandwich):

1 toasted English muffin
1 – 2 eggs
1 teaspoon fried onions
Toasted sesame seeds to taste
Swiss and Parmesan cheese to taste
Toasted sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Mustard and Mayo to taste
Black forest ham

This is a sandwich and I figure there no point specifying any measure other than taste.

Start toasting the muffin. I like two techniques; cut and toast or toast whole in a toaster oven. I like the whole method because it tends to bring back that “out of the oven” quality. The same can be said of most bread; heat then slice for chewier gooier bread.

Crack the egg into a microwave safe ramekin. Find a bowl or ramekin that is sized about the same as the muffin or bread you are using. You can butter your ramekin, but it is not required. Sprinkle in the fried onions, cheese, seeds, salt, and pepper. Grab a fork and fold it all together – nothing to vigorous, just enough to know that the ingredients have met their eggy host.

Nuke it! The amount of time varies, but 1 minute plus x number of 30 second shots should get you there. Try and not overcook – the heat will carry over, so if you “think” it might be done, just let it sit, and the carryover will set the egg and cheese up nicely.

Grab the muffin and slice in half. Spread mustard on one half; mayo on the other. If you have good or fancy mustard, and/or a nice oil (truffle, olive, herb), use it now!

Use a knife to run along the outside of the ramekin and use a large spoon to get this breakfast cheese cake out of it hole. Place in on the muffin. Top with ham and a little more cheese if desired.

Assemble, cut in half, toss in a pickle, and enjoy!