April Recipe of the Month: Fried Egg Sandwich
The hens on my Vashon Island farm provide me with so many lovely eggs that I’m always looking for new ways to use them. One easy favorite of mine is a fried egg sandwich. This recipe is the one we use on our brunch menu at Macrina — our best-selling brunch item for years! I sampled fried egg sandwiches in San Francisco, Portland, Bainbridge Island and Seattle, before settling on this delicious combination. Add a few slices of your favorite bacon to this sandwich and it takes it to the moon!
Ingredients:
Fried Egg Sandwiches:
Makes 4
1 medium red onion2 tablespoons olive oil1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar1 loaf Rustic Potato bread, sliced6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided1/4 cup Dijon mustard4 slices Muenster cheese8 eggs1 cup spicy tomato sauce
Spicy Tomato Sauce:
Makes 1 cup
1 dried pasilla pepper2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 medium yellow onion, diced2 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 tablespoon ground cumin1 tablespoon ground coriander6 Roma tomatoes, chopped1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely choppedSalt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Fried Egg Sandwiches:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel onion and cut lengthwise into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Set aside to cool.
Cut eight 1/2" slices of our Rustic Potato bread and lightly butter one side of each slice, using approximately 4 tablespoons.
Place two slices of bread, buttered side down, in a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Spread one slice with 1-1/2 teaspoon of Dijon and top the other with a slice of cheese.
While the bread is sautéing, add 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining butter to another nonstick pan over medium heat. Add two eggs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and fry each side to desired preference (for over-medium eggs about 1.5 minutes on each side). On the slice of bread that was spread with mustard, layer the eggs, a quarter of the roasted onions and 1/4 cup of warm spicy tomato sauce. Top with the other slice of bread, transfer to a plate and cut in half to eat more easily. Repeat to make the remaining three sandwiches.
Spicy Tomato Sauce
Place the dried pasilla pepper in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain well and let cool, then remove the core and seeds from the pepper. Coarsely chop and set aside.
Place the olive oil in a medium saucepan and heat to medium –low. Add the onions. Cook covered for 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Stir in the garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and pasilla pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This sauce is best used warm.
Enjoy!