Sunday, March 9, 2008

The easiest meal. Ever!

egg sandwich


The egg and cheese sandwich


This is my go to instant meal of late, an easy, one pan wonder that can be busted out one-handed, half in the bag, 3 am, whenever. Most importantly, it tastes amazing and makes you feel
oh so happy.

Here’s what you need (feel free to substitute/improvise as you see fit):

2 slices bread
2 eggs
3-4 thin slices of cheese
1 tbsp butter
salt to taste



IMG_0415bread close up

Before we start, though, locate a few slices of bread. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; regular wheat bread or even the wonder bread – texas toast variety is quite alright for our purposes here.

bread,cheese boardgruyere close up

I’ve got gruyere cheese this time around, but I’ve also used cheddar (the applewood smoked stuff is awesome if you can find it), mozzarella or havarti. Again, use whatever cheese makes you smile. Be it black truffle infused moliterno pecorino, ooey gooey raw milk Riopelle or extra thick Kraft single slices, I say use what you love, whatever makes you happy!

So, toast up your bread and cheese. This is easy if you’ve got a little toaster oven, but if you don’t, do as I do and fry it up just like a grilled cheese sandwich. I know you’ve made plenty of those before, so no need to go into detail.

eggs, freerange

Now for the eggs. Oh, the perfect, lovely egg. Try to get the freerange, organic kind if you can; it really does make a difference.

eggs

Crack your eggs and beat them very gently with a fork. Add a pinch of salt at this point; the salt not only helps to season them at this point but will also help to slightly break them down, making them silkier when you cook them. Strange, but true.

Now for the scrambling. Heat your non-stick pan to medium high heat and add a pat of butter. Mmm butter.

butter...mmm

Patienly wait until the butter sizzles and bubbles away…when, and only when, the pan is glistening and hot but
silent, drop in your lightly beaten bundles of joy. Right away, use a spatula to gently fold over the eggs as they start to cook. At this point, turn off the heat. Really, please trust me! Eggs are tender, sensitive little snowflakes and need only the gentlest of attention to bring out the best in them. Cut the heat and continue to fold, lightly, easily, in the same motions you would use to ice a cake or pet a sleeping kitten, until the eggs are almost cooked all the way through.

scrambling eggsscrambled eggs

Leave it to the French to have invented a specific word to describe the ultimate texture of a perfectly cooked egg….
baveuse. It translates, roughly, into that slightly wiggly, jiggly state found in just barely set custards and jellies. I think it might actually come from the same word as drool and slobber too. Isn’t that sexy?

sandwich

Anyways, at this point, collect the shiny soft-scrambled
baveuse bundle to one side of your pan and proceed to deposit the golden fluffiness onto your awaiting bed of melted cheese and toasted bread.

egg sandwich


The residual heat from both the eggs and your warm toast will continue to ever so slightly cook your eggs to the perfect fluffy doneness. At this time, slap on the top of your sandwich and proceed to cut as you see fit.

Somehow I feel that sandwiches of these sort end up tasting better when cut on a diagonal. But that’s just me.

egg sandwich close up

sandwich close up

Admire your swift handywork and proceed to inhale. This definitely isn’t fancy food, but it sure is satisfying!

10 comments:

  1. Mmm. Melted Cheese.

    Nothing like it.


    Good work Little Piggy. Bring more culinary goodness on!

    A.

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  2. I tried this out today. So yummy! My eggs didn't come out as soft as the ones in your photo, but it was much better than my usual scrambled eggs :)

    I never knew you should turn the heat off!

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  3. A: Thanks for checking it all out! I'm thinking a bit of Mama's poutine or perhaps a good ol' sardine grilling (a la Janos) is in order...next time, perhaps?

    S: Yay, I'm happy you tried this out, it's totally one of my favorite instant meals! The heat thing was a recent discovery; I do think it turns out just a bit yummier. :)

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  4. Yumm :d

    One of the best breakfasts to have :]

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  5. That sandwich looks so good. Fried to golden brown perfection with gooey melted cheese...mmm...

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  6. Ah - one of my fave childhood meals. My mom used to make scrambled egg sandwiches all the time. The only way I would change your version is to add some tomato slices. (Okay and maybe a smear of mayo...)

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  7. OH my god... that is all I have to say after seeing these photos...wow.

    I know what I'm doing for breakfast tomorrow.

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  8. Tarah: Yes, the breakfast of champions! (Think a bloody mary would be overkill?)

    Kevin: Thanks! Checked out your wonderful blog...yay for Toronto food lovers!

    Miss Scarlett: Wow, yes and yes to the tomato and mayo. Mayo seems to make everything better...

    Sara: Thank you! And thank goodness for the awesome happiness of scrambled eggs. :)

    Thank you to everyone who has checked out this newbie little blog!!!

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  9. those are great tips on the eggs! thanks! and about the photos...wow! :) (i'm typing this as i reach for the bread and cheese)

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  10. My girlfriend and I made this sandwich this morning using your suggestions. The eggs turned out perfectly. We just googled egg and cheese sandwich and found your blog. Thanks!

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