My saturday/sunday breakfast, with pics!!

[kidcolin]

I thought'd I share with you all a saturday/sunday morning ritual of mine. I make what is quite possibly the best bacon, egg and cheese croissant sandwich in the world. My morning starts with a 5 block walk to my local coffee shop, where I pick up an excellent cup of coffee and a croissant. The croissants here are nice and sweet, and a bit heavier than most others I've had.




The other ingredients are:
4 strips of apple smoked bacon. I pick this up from the butcher at my local specialty grocer. Really good stuff.
1 egg. Just from the supermarket. I haven't found (or looked for, really) any good markets for farm fresh eggs.
1 slice of extra sharp cheddar. Also from the grocer.

I start by cooking the bacon. I think I've mastered the pan frying technique. It takes me about 25-30 minutes. I do my morning reading while periodically checking and flipping the bacon.



In that pic I had just moved the second slice to the middle, as it was cooking too slowly. I ended up cooking that one piece a couple minutes longer than the rest. They came out perfect. Make sure you take the bacon off the pan a little before it looks exactly like you want it to, as they'll cook a bit on the paper towel.



Then I use some of the bacon fat to grease the second pan I cook my egg in. I use the bigger pan to toast my croissant. I turn the gas up pretty high for the toasting.




Shortly before the croissant is done toasting, I begin to fry my egg. I don't break the yolk. For the sandwich I like my egg over medium. Now, one problem I do have in this whole ordeal is the cheese. I just started using this good cheese, not the packaged slices. Well, I suck at cutting the cheese (*snicker*). I don't have a proper cheese knife, and my technique is probably shaky. So I end up with a bunch of small slivers of cheese, varying in width. Still, it ends up working out in the end.

A trick I learned from the grill guys at work is using a lid and some water on the pan to melt the cheese faster. This is crucial if you're like me and enjoy the yolk a little runny. Just sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan and then cover the egg. Take the lid off in 30 seconds or so, and the cheese should be good.



Another tip: just before the egg is done, I throw the bacon back on the pan for just a half minute or so. It heats it up some and brings out the flavor a little more.

Then just stack, and enjoy! In the pic I put all the slices of bacon on the sandwich, but I usually eat half or a whole slice on the side. Some may also disagree with my egg:croissant ratio. I've considered going with two eggs, but I think I'll stick with one. The little arms of the croissant will end up just having bacon between them, nothing else, and it ends up being really tasty just like that. And if the yolk is a little runnier than normal, I'll break off one of them and use it to sop up the yolk.

[edfurlong]

Involve butter in some way (the croissant doesn't count!) and you are pretty close to the perfect food.

[XXXNoahXXX]

I think you can fit another egg on there. Otherwise, it looks absolutely amazing. Grilling the croissant is key.

[Lazy Meatball]

I have a pretty similar ritual nearly every weekday. 3 to 4 slices of bacon go into the pan, after they are halfway cooked I crack an egg inbetween them and the let the bacon and the egg finish at the same time, add salt and pepper and use toast or an english muffin to make the sandwich. Sometimes I add hunks of cheddar but I find it just adds to the grease and the flavor of the cheese is overpowered anyway. When i'm really hungry I add a hamburger patty and BBQ sauce.

For me, If I'm walking five blocks somewhere, I'm paying someone else to cook my breakfast. Maybe you just like having a morning walk anyway. Also, my method uses only one pan, so less cleanup. And you should be saving your excess bacon grease in the freezer, not patting it away on paper towels, that stuff has a million uses.

[adsman]

Oh man, I forgot all about frying bread in bacon fat. I used to do that all the time. You have given me new reasons for living. I thank you.

['Chair]

my stomach just started growling...looks del'ish. So how did you keep your egg so tight? When I fry eggs, the spread fairly thin.



might I suggest...

and (when in season)

[adsman]

[ QUOTE ]
my stomach just started growling...looks del'ish. So how did you keep your egg so tight? When I fry eggs, the spread fairly thin.

[/ QUOTE ]

Egg rings.

[ckmo]

I think I had a minor heart attack just looking at the pictures...that looks awesome.

[Eidal]

To keep the egg "tight" on the pan, make sure the pan is very hot before dropping the egg onto it. Then reduce heat.

1) Preheat pan.
2) Add slight butter to pan (butter will keep the heat from overcooking the bottom of the egg)
3) Pan is well heated when butter begins to sizzle/boil.
4) Apply egg
5) Reduce heat to medium-high
6) For sunny side up, cover with lid to make the light film over the yolk. Not necessary for overeasy as you will just flip it once the white on the top side is cooked or mostly cooked.

Enjoy!

[Doug Funnie II]

would be better with sausage