Mcperfect Brunch Sandwich (Egg Sandwich)

This one will brighten your day! The blend of these ingredients generates a light, yet robust and flavorful brunch sandwich. I love egg sandwiches for brunch and was thus resolved, this week, to come up with one that would be the best I ever had and one which was guaranteed to raise the eyebrows of friends and family. The idea of the little sprinkling of red pepper scares a few folks initially, but when they taste the sandwich, they always say, "Hey, this isn't hot at all!" And it's not. I used the ground cayenne because your body does not easily digest black pepper but red pepper digests easily and offers some health benefits as well. But the key ingredient here is the Dijonnaise Creamy Dijon Mustard (made by Hellmann's -- I don't know if there is a generic brand). I went through 3 dozen eggs (and LOTS of various condiments!) to achieve the final product, using my neighborhood buddies as guinea pigs. Let's face it, all egg sandwiches are good (except for the green olive one I made, which WAS a little shaky!) so it was a pleasant enough experiment, all told. In any case, the Dijonnaise sandwich won the final unanimous approval, hands down. And don't underestimate the value of that little orange slice on the side for the garnish. The fresh aroma which it provides while eating your sandwich makes it a worthwhile addition and most folks like to eat it as a refresher after finishing their sandwich. That's it -- enjoy!

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 1
• Yields: 1 sandwich

Ingredients

• 1  large egg
• 1  slice deli ham, thinly-sliced (you could also substitute a thin slice of Canadian bacon) (optional)
•  ground red pepper
•  sea salt
• 1  teaspoon water
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 2  slices  honey-wheat bread
• 1  slice smoked gouda cheese, thin and just enough to cover the fried egg
• 1  tablespoon tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
• 1  tablespoon  Dijonnaise mustard (I use Hellmann's brand)
• 1  orange wedge, fresh

Directions

1. In a small non-stick skillet, melt the butter over very low heat.
2. Break the egg into a small bowl and add the teaspoon of water. Beat only for about 5 seconds, add the tomato cubes, and then pour it into the skillet. Maintain the very low heat and, with a spatula, push the egg to make it sandwich-sized. Do not rush frying the egg by raising the heat!
3. After the egg is done on the bottom, sprinkle just a little red pepper and sea salt on the egg and turn it over with the spatula. Then, lay on the small ham slice (if using), the cheese, cover, and after 30 seconds, turn off the heat, allowing the skillet to sit on the burner.
4. Make toast from your bread in the toaster.
5. When the toast is done, lay a slice on a small serving plate and carefully put the egg on it (the cheese will probably not be melted -- just heated through which is what you want). Generously spread the dijonnaise on the other slice of toast and place the top on the sandwich. Cut on the diagonal and garnish with the orange slice on the side. If you're having this sandwich for brunch, serve with a glass of champagne.