Got this one on a tip from one of my regular online food story sources. Call it a novelty. Call it a meal in a sandwich. Call it an over-the-top indulgence. Call it, maybe, a new signature menu item for your fave grilled cheese joint. Whatever else you call it, call it ‘breakfast at your house’ soon…
A vid-capture of the sammy half constructed: Fuzzy but nonetheless delectable!
So this guy from Japan – a food vblogger of some record and renown (see photo, top of page) – comes up with something in the way of a breakfast sandwich that’s truly unique and loaded to the gunwales. And the social mediaverse goes nuts. But for once, viral status for a food post may be justified.
A little history…
When I was little, my dad always made Saturday and Sunday morning breakfast. And he wasn’t one to shy away from what others might call a silly notion. As a result, I was treated to a pancake variant of Toad In A Hole (the egg version), a pancake with embedded bacon bits, and ‘Western Omelet’ scrambled eggs, among other delights.
And for Saturday lunch, I was filled with shock and awe by a succession of variations on the classic grilled cheese. There was an open-faced version topped with diced sweet peppers, sausage crumble and stewed tomatoes. Conventional grilled cheeses came stuffed with all kinds of things – some I might have expected, others I never suspected.
But one factor united Dad’s grilled cheeses and pancakes: they were all incredibly delectable and definitely more-worthy.
And now, this!
A special feature of chef-at-large Hitorimesi’s elegantly produced posts is his use of complementary classical music as an aural backdrop for his kitchen demos. Some fans say it makes his comestible creations even more enjoyable. The musical accompaniment he chose for his breakfast sandwich vid is Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne Op.9 No.2 Piano Mono, which one viewer says creates an aural fixation that elevates the whole experience from cooking to art. I wouldn’t go that far, but the music is eerily appropriate to the visuals.
Anyway.
Back to the sandwich
Remember that two-sided frying pan you got as a shower gift, lo-these-many years ago? The square one that was designed to make perfect grilled cheese without the risk that the sammy would fall apart when you turned it? Dig it out now, and prepare to make frequent use of it! If you don’t have a two-sider, you can use a conventional pan and a broad spatula, with a little care and concentration.
The sandwich starts with a pair of sausages. Hito’s choice looks to me like smaller, thinner versions of the Brats or Polskis we generally enjoy on a bun. They’re sizzled up in a small pan until cooked through, and arranged so their curves oppose eachop0ther forming a cavity in the centre. An egg is cracked into the cavity and salt and pepper are sprinkled judiciously on top. And shredded cheese is piled on top of that and a slice of bread is placed over all. The pan is covered for a moment, until the egg is fully cooked. Then the whole thing is turned on its head and condiments are added. (In Hito’s version, it’s mayo and ketchup. I’ll be adding salsa and sour cream instead. You can add whatever you want.) Top the savouries with more cheese and another slice of bread and cover. Turn and toast until the second slice is golden.
Turn the finished sandwich out onto a large enough plate so it lies flat, slice diagonally like they do in restos, and enjoy.
The takeaway
Think outside the bread for a moment. You can use this technique to incorporate any kind of protein and condiments into an infinitely variable grilled cheese experience. I’m planning to try it with tomatoes, sweet peppers and sausage crumbles – in homage to Dad’s open-faced original. Put on your thinking cap and make Hitorimesi’s masterpiece your own!
~ Maggie J.