Toasties and egg

Grilled cheese with arugula, egg and balsamic glaze

We’ve taken toasties (grilled cheese) and bumped it up a notch with arugula, then topped it with a sunny-side-up egg and balsamic glaze, and served it with a side of fried tomatoes rather than the traditional tomato soup. It makes a meal that’s equally delicious for breakfast or lunch. Our recipe is made with thick-cut slices of our own soda bread, but feel free to substitute. Either way you’ll want a fork and knife to tackle this flavor powerhouse.

Ingredients (for one sandwich)

  • 2 slices of bread (I used our own homemade brown soda bread)
  • 1-2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated or sliced (or whatever your preference is, but use real cheese, not cheese product. Your taste buds will thank you.)
  • Handful of arugula
  • Butter
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ tomato sliced
  • Balsamic glaze (optional. Glaze is a sweet balsamic vinegar reduction and usually sits near the balsamic vinegar at a grocery store.)

Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit and a skillet over medium low heat. Butter two slices of bread and place one on the skillet butter side down. Top with cheese and arugula and cover the skillet to keep in the heat. Cook about two minutes and add tomato to the skillet, sprinkling the tomatoes with salt and pepper and recovering the pan. Continue cooking until the underside of the sandwich is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 2 more minutes. Place the second slice of bread on top — butter on the outside — and flip the sandwich using a spatula and your hand. Compress sandwich a bit with the spatula. Flip the tomatoes. Cover the pan and cook the sandwich and tomatoes until underside of sandwich is golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Place sandwich and tomatoes on oven safe plate in oven to keep warm.

Melt ½ tablespoon of butter into pan and crack egg into butter. If using a nonstick pan, you can reduce the amount of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until whites are set, but the yolk is still runny, about 2 minutes.

Remove plate from oven and top the sandwich with the egg and more arugula if desired. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the top of everything. Serve with a fork and knife.

The sandwich ready to assemble
Ready to assemble.

Frying the sandwich bottom and tomatoes
Frying the sandwich and tomatoes.

The egg frying in the pan.
Nearly there…

The finished sandwich
Grilled cheese, arugula and egg with a side of fried tomatoes.

The sandwich with balsamic glaze
Looking for that extra punch? Drizzle some balsamic glaze over the sandwich and tomatoes.